The Sinner Repents
by White Mage Koorii
Summary: HIATUS, Roy/Ed; When alchemy fails and threats rise both within and beyond her borders Amestris teeters on the cusp of destruction. Edward Elric must step forward to save his homeland, to protect those he loves, and become a hero once more.
1. Prologue

**Pairing:** Eventual Roy/Ed, Background Alphonse/Winry, Possibly others.  
**Warnings:** MaleMale Relationship, Violence, Language  
**Disclaimer:** I claim to rights to FMA as I am just a poor fanfic writer in the USA.  
**Beta:** None. I edit myself so please forgive any errors.

**A/N:** Okay, so... I'm breaking my own rule by posting this. Normally I don't like to post a story until it's either finished, or mostly finished. That being said I feel like posting this now because I'm tired and want to share. I'm not sure how often I'll update this. I do have several chapters written, but I don't want to run out of them before I can write more. So we'll see how that works out. This entire fic is a result of me playing with a random idea that struck me while watching Conqueror of Shamballa for the second time. Can't say what that is or it'd ruin part of the plot.

Anyway, here's the prologue of the long chapterfic I am working on. I hope you enjoy, and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated.

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_Oh for a voice like thunder, and a tongue to drown the voice of war,  
__When the soul is driven to madness,  
__Who can stand?  
__When the souls of the oppressed fight in the troubled air that rages,  
__Who can stand?  
__When the whirlwind of fury comes from the throne of God,  
__Who can stand?  
__When the frowns of his countenance drive the nations together,  
__Who can stand?  
__When sin claps his broad wings over the battle, and sails rejoicing in the flood of death,  
__when the souls are torn to everlasting fire, and fiends of Hell rejoice upon the slain,  
__Oh who can stand? Oh who hath caused this?  
__Oh who can answer at the throne of God?  
__The Kings and the Nobles of the land have done it!  
__Hear it not, Heaven, thy Ministers have done it!_

- William Blake

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**The Sinner Repents**

**Prologue**

**Words: 3616**

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It was a surprisingly clear night and the sky was thick with stars. Glastonbury Tor rose up like a giant's shoulder from the rolling English countryside that surrounded it. At the pinnacle St. Michael's Tower stood like an ageless sentry overlooking all that was lain out around it. The air was warm, though not oppressively so that night, and many windows in the little hamlet nestled against the Tor's base were cracked open to coax the faint puffs of a breeze in. Up higher on the Tor itself the breeze blew hard enough to make the short grass and various other clumps of vegetation rustle.

All in all it seemed a sleepily placid night. Most people were well abed by now as a moonless sky served as a distant observer. However all was not as still as it seemed on this night for there, moving near the top of the Tor, a light bobbed along suspended in midair. Perhaps to a sleepy child it would seem as if the ghost of King Arthur was drifting along like St. Elmo's fire, or maybe that Gwyn ap Nudd was out for a little constitutional. The truth wasn't nearly as fantastical as any of that.

A group of five men made their way along the long path toward the Tower. The one at the front of the group was carrying a lantern as their only source of illumination. Their ages seemed to range from nearly sixty to mid twenties between them, and two of them carried heavy satchels made of sturdy thick cloth and leather. One satchel hung empty, flapping listlessly, at its bearers side; the other clinked quietly with every motion of the man who carried it as the metallic instruments inside shifted.

To a man they were dressed in dark clothing, the soles of the heavy boots they wore treading soundlessly over the pathway. They moved like men who didn't want to be discovered; aware of every movement their bodies made and the potential for sound. Not once did they make the brittle, spindly grass that arched to either side of the pathway crackle and rustle. Only the sound of the wind was with them, and on it it carried a whisper and a whistle like fairy song. Tonight was a night of fairy tales and folk lore. To a man, they were wary.

As they crested the top of the hill they could all hear the whispers gathering. It sounded in their ears and all around them like a gala was in full swing. They were utterly alone. St. Michael's Tower loomed above them its imposing stone facade silent and unyielding. Pale in daylight the stone was turned dark by the night and the alcoves on its face like a multitude of eyeless sockets, or portals to some demonic hideaway. The stars shown around the crenelated top like a jeweled halo that made them stand out starkly, the light like a silvering frost or gilding on their edges, while the normally abrupt corners of the Tower's design were softened.

The youngest of the group shifted uneasily, shying away from the open arched doorway into the interior of the Tower.

No crickets fiddled here, nor was there the sawing _chk-chk-chrrrr_ of cicadas. No bat haunted the premises, and no mosquitoes pricked them. As annoying as the thought of insects could prove, here, now, they're aggravating presence would have been a reassurance. The youngest man was no longer the only uneasy one.

The group of men crowded into the space beneath the Tower where the wind hissed like a seething mass of snakes, and unintelligible phrases were as thick in the corners as the shadows were. Their boots scuffed against the hewn stone floor, a sound that was over loud; a sound that grated on their nerves and inflamed their agitation to new heights.

"Johnson, Sir?" The youngest man hissed, the words barely more than a breath through his teeth.

The oldest man, Johnson, looked toward him where he lingered in the arched threshold, "Give it no mind, Harrison. Let us finish this so we can be away."

Harrison gave a jerky nod and skittered fully within the shadowed alcove, "Yes, Sir."

Johnson observed the other three men then lifted a hand with a finger crooked, "Moore, Hunt, you two can aid me. Powell stand there and watch that side; Harrison set that up and watch the other."

There was an immediate sound of shuffling boots as the other men complied with their leader's instructions. Johnson, Moore, and Hunt moved toward the low stone bench like protrusion where Johnson immediately kneeled down and pulled the strap of the satchel he carried over his head. Letting it drop to the ground the assortment of metal objects inside clanked against the stone floor and one another.

Harrison squatted down tugging off the heavier, sturdier, leather satchel he bore and set it down. Undoing the flap he flipped it open then reached into the thickly padded interior and smoothed the bottom out so it rested, standing, where he put it. That done, Harrison stood and dusted his hands on his thighs as he moved to his lookout point.

Johnson reached into his own bag and pulled fourth several hammers and chisels. One of each went to Moore and Hunt while Johnson kept the third set. Hunt set the lantern down on the flat stone surface. The three men crouched down to inspect the underside of the overhanging ledge of the thick, dark stone top. It was a roughly cut piece of work, looking broken and fractured around the edges while the top was smooth and worn. Time had certainly worked its ceaselessness on it.

Lantern light flickered off of Johnson's thick bifocals as the man squinted through them. With a sharp nod from Johnson the three men set to work; putting the tips of their chisels against the masonry holding the top stone in place and added the _chink-chink_ of metal on metal, and metal on stone to the gossip of ghosts and earth sprites.

Time, the night, and superstition wore on their nerves, and the repetitive sound of the working trio certainly made no improvement. This was Glastonbury Tor, after all, the Veil was very thin here. Harrison fidgeted at his post, boots scuffing against the stone. Somewhere behind him he heard a sharp scrape of another person's sole and whirled, heart pounding. Powell had made the sound and was craning at the shadowy threshold of the archway.

"What is it?" Harrison hissed nervously.

Powell shook his head slightly, "Just jumping at shadows. Thought I saw someone creeping around out there."

Harrison turned back around, not at all convinced that they weren't about to be ambushed by all manner of ghoul and demon. Wringing his hands nervously he squinted through the night and wished it didn't turn everything so difficult to see. The silver cast by the stars only highlighted the most sharp edges, the rest blurred together into a blue-gray and black mass. Every time the breeze rustled the stringy grass it flickered silver, and for a moment he was sure that a huge demonic snake from beyond the Veil was being sent to devour them. Every time one of the three men clustered near the lantern shifted and their shadow stretched he was sure it was a ghost rising to steal their life.

"That's it. Powell, come give us a hand." Johnson's voice growled.

Harrison turned, craning his neck to see the old man smoothing his mustache; his eyes glittered with triumph behind his round spectacles. A scrape, and the sound of a bit of rock hitting the ground, had Harrison whirling back around again. He thought he saw a bit of something whipping up beyond the conical peak of the archway. He could certainly see the dislodged bit of rock sitting less than a foot outside the doorway where the path along the Tor they'd used slithered away like a long pale snake. A chill crawled up his spine.

"Johnson..." He breathed.

"Harrison. Come hold the bloody lantern." Johnson's voice growled across whatever Harrison had meant to say.

Meekly, Harrison complied. Powell, Hunt, and Moore gathered around the stone bench; Hunt and Moore gripped the corners at each end whilst Powell fished a crowbar out of the tool satchel and set it under the heavy thing where the masonry had been done away with. The dust and chunks of masonry that littered the ground around the benches base were much too new looking to have been there in ages gone. It was as if someone had done the same thing they just had and fixed it to rights again.

Ignoring his grunting companions Harrison leaned closer to Johnson and whispered, "I think we should leave. We are not alone."

Johnson's hawk like stare watched the other three critically as the stone gave way with a thick, grating scrape, "Nonsense, my boy."

Hunt and Moore carefully let the stone top tip and slide down so it rested against floor and its former resting place at an angle. Johnson stepped forward, waving Harrison with him, and they all leaned over the gaping black hole that they had revealed. Harrison lifted the lantern and brought it closer to hover above the opening.

The lantern light glanced off a spherical metal object contained therein revealing the deep maroon, bronze, and brassy exterior. The main sphere of it was topped by a valve like handle and its base had several short knobs sticking out. The band around its center where it was held together protruded like a tiny bolted ledge all the way around it's circumference. The uranium bomb almost looked _harmless_.

Johnson carefully reached in, clasped the valve, and pulled it out with a bit of puffing. Turning slightly, the soles of his shoes grinding against the floor, he deposited it into the padded leather satchel with great care.

"That's it?" Hunt asked, sounding a mixture between awe and disappointment.

No one got to answer, nor make another comment, for it was then that the quiet was interrupted by the sharp sound of someone _clapping_. The heads of the five men swiveled in accord, like a group of marionette's at the whim of their master. There, reclining against the side of the back archway of the Tower, was a figure dressed head to toe in black. The hood of the calf length black jacket he wore was up, shadowing his face but for the lower portion which was stretched into a fang filled grin.

The black figure crossed his arms over his chest and, with a great deal of fake and mocking awe, said, "Congratulations, gentlemen. I'm impressed."

"Who the hell are you?" Moore barked, jerking back a step.

The figure laughed derisively, "Oh man, I knew it was too good to be true... Here I was thinking that that Knitting Society of yours actually had some _brains._ Look, just hand over the bomb and we can all go our separate ways."

Johnson moved faster than one would think he'd be able to. He reached into the satchel that had held all the tools and pulled a revolver from its depths. The old man was immediately on his feet with the gun trained on the dark figure's chest.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm also afraid that I'm going to have to kill you now. We can't have people running about with this kind of knowledge, you understand?"

The figure heaved a sigh and pushed off the archway. Johnson tracked his every move, the barrel of the gun never wavered.

"Looks like you've got me there." The hooded man said, but there was a tint of mocking to his voice still that didn't ring true with his words, nor sit right with his supposedly perilous position. "I mean... Here I am, _alone_ and unarmed against five guys and a gun..."

The man in black raised his arms, lifting his white gloved hands above his head in a classical show of surrender.

Johnson grunted in satisfaction, "Don't move. You've a bit to live so I suggest you start thinking of your last words." Johnson well knew his bosses would want this man; they would want to know _why_ and _how_ he knew about the bomb. Not bothering to look at his cohorts he waved his free hand at them. "Grab the bomb and start moving."

The other four men did as told, quickly shoving the tools back into their satchel while Powell closed the flap on the one with the bomb in it and hefted it over his shoulder. They didn't get much further, for as they made for the archway at the front of the Tower another shadowy figure dropped down from above and landed partially crouched before straightening and turning to face them. This one was clad similarly to the first, but in a shade of gunmetal gray that made him blend in with the night background until he seemed transparent; like an eerie gray ghost.

"Oh, wait... That's right! I'm not here alone am I?" The taunting voice of the black figure jeered.

The gray figure tilted his head to the side and a small smile curved his lips almost benignly; then, he gave a little _heh-heh_ laugh.

Harrison gave a whimper, the lantern rattling as his hands trembled with sudden fear, "I told you." he rasped, voice gone hoarse. "It's too _thin_ here and now they've come from the Other Side. We're all dead."

The breeze whistled through the narrow archways, weaving around the black figure and making the trailing end of his jacket flap around his calves. It continued on exiting around the gray one and billowing his own gunmetal gray coat like a cape. No one moved. No one said a word.

Johnson pulled down on the hammer. The sound of it was loud in the small space and the dark of the night. Almost as if it were a cue, or the pair were working with some sort of silent communication, the gray clad figure rushed forward just as the black clad one did. They both cleared the short distance with ease. The black one caught Johnson by the wrist, fingers wrapping around from inner arm to the edges.

The gun discharged, slicing a graze along the figure's cheek and cutting through his hood before pinging off the stone work somewhere behind him. The hood fell away to reveal a sharply angled face beset by wild gold eyes; eyes that were eerily reminiscent of those that belonged to the great lions of Africa. A coruscating fall of aureate hair framed those fierce eyes, falling loose in the bangs and pulled back in high ponytail at the back of his skill. A bead of blood skimmed down the golden eyed man's cheek, thinning as it went.

Johnson's wrist was twisted hard to the side until the joint began to protest in pain. His hand gave a spasmodic twitch, releasing the revolver to fall to the ground with a clatter. With a single sharp tug Johnson was pulled forward and bent over the man's left leg. All his breath rushed out of him in a gigantic whoosh. World spinning, he it the ground with a thud.

The gray figure dropped to the ground before any of the others could form any cognizant plan of action. Bracing his palms against the stone the one in gray swept Moore's legs out from under him. Moore dropped and hit the ground, backside down, with a wheeze. Popping back up nimbly the gray clad figure turned toward Harrison, lips tightening into another smile.

Harrison trembled.

The gray figure leaned in closer and breathed a single word, "Boo."

Harrison gave an unmanly squeak of terror and dropped the lantern. It wobbled precariously on the edge of its base for a moment before falling over onto its side; the light wavered and crawled over the walls from the sudden changes. It made all the shadows in the close space twist and deform in hideous demons that clawed for freedom. Harrison fainted dead away, toppling to the ground without further sound.

The golden haired man stepped over Johnson's downed form and advanced toward Hunt. Hunt backed away, eyes swinging from side to side as he looked for an escape route. He had no courage without his partners to back him up.

The one in gray moved toward Powell and extended his hand, gesturing toward the satchel the man carried slung over one shoulder, "Give that to me, please."

Powell hesitated, clutching at the strap of the bag with a spasmodic grip. His face was pale and damp with sweat.

"It would be best for you to." The gray clad figure said kindly. "Things will go a lot better if you cooperate."

Hunt made a break for it, attempting to dart past the fierce golden eyed man. The man in black caught Hunt by the scruff of his jacket, jerking him backward forcefully and slamming him into the nearby wall.

"Why don't you just sit down and relax?" The golden one growled.

Powell, sweating profusely now, handed the satchel over to the boy in gray.

"Thank you."

The golden haired man stepped over to his partner's side, and dropped a heavy hand on top of his hooded head which he proceeded to ruffle. The gray clad one ducked to the side, swatting at the other one with a sound of annoyance.

There came a lull then as the two seemed to celebrate their easy victory with brotherly cheer. It was interrupted, detonated, by the crack of gunfire. There was a sound of metal pinging off metal.

Johnson had managed to get his breath back and had grabbed the gun. The man stood, trembling, in the moonlight by one of the archways.

The black garbed one turned his head, fierce gold eyes narrowed into a lion's glare. Johnson wasn't given the leisure to react before the blond man was on him, a fist thrown forward and pressing into the old man's face between on breath and the next. Glass shattered and metal twisted beneath the force over the crunch of breaking bone. Johnson was thrown backward. He tottered on his feet for an instance before collapsing in an unconscious pile, half in and half out of the doorway.

Flexing his fingers absently the golden haired man turned back toward his cohort, "Let's get these idiots settled and get out of here. I'm sick of this place already."

The one in gray sighed in exasperation and let a rope slither from somewhere in the confines of his coat as he set the satchel with the bomb down carefully out of the way. The black clad man grabbed one of Johnson's feet and dragged him unceremoniously into the middle of the small room. His next target was Harrison who he nudged over with his foot. That done he pulled the two unconscious men up and set them back to back, a hand on their shoulders to keep them from toppling.

Golden eyes glared at the other three men who hadn't moved an inch and a low growl issued forth, "Do I have to knock you out and then truss you up, or are you going to cooperate?"

The three hurried to obey. At the very least they could buy time, and hope there would be a flaw in the bindings. They soon found themselves proven wrong as the two rapidly and adeptly bound the five together. There was no wiggle room, nor could they get their hands into a decent or helpful position.

The golden haired man moved over to the side and hoisted the satchel up and over his head, taking no notice of how the thick leather strap dug into his shoulder and chest.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

"Coming, Brother!"

The gray clad one jogged over to join his already departing sibling and slung an arm around his brother's neck, pulling him into a loose headlock before taking off down the path. The shorter of the two swung his fist through the air in faked menace and gave chase with his black jacket fluttering around his legs.

Soon Glastonbury Tor and St. Michael's Tower settled back into the late night quiet. Almost as though testing the atmosphere a cricket began to chirp. When nothing happened the night began to return to normal almost as though the confrontation had never occurred.

The following morning an early bird tourist found the five men just where the brothers had left them and reported them to the local constables office. The papers that evening would have the headline splashed loud and clear:

_**Group of Five Defaces St. Michael's Tower**_

_**Secret Compartment Found!**_

_Five men were found tied up in the middle of St. Michael's tower this morning. It soon became clear that they were searching for something. Their endeavors revealed a secret compartment! Unfortunately the compartment was empty, and the real question remains... Who, or what, put a stop to their actions?_

_Sources say that..._

_One of them was heard to say..._

_Fairies..._

_Ghosts..._

_The fair folk are said..._

_Golden hair...._

_One man was later escorted out... _

_Mental institute..._

_Rumors of affiliation with the German Thule Society and Nazism..._

Miles away Edward and Alphonse Elric knew nothing of the stir they'd left behind. They probably wouldn't have noticed even if they had been aware, nor cared. They were used to it after all.


	2. ACT I, SECTION I

**See Prologue/Chapter one for standard disclaimers. **

**A/N: **All right so, since I haven't been doing a lot of writing I've decided I'm going to post the first section of this fic, and hope that in doing so my writing muse will be reawakened. So here's chapter one. Enjoy, and remember... feedback is always appreciated.

Fun Fact: I actually research this a lot... like... I'm so anal I researched Moonphases and when the Summer Solstice would be. Yes, I am told I am insane.

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_When the clash of swords echo,  
__The journey chasing the past ends and  
__The journey to know today begins._

_One soul seeks another and  
__Pledges their sworn friendship to another  
__One mystery begets the next and  
__The doors of fate are opened._

"_You are free to sever the chains of fate that bind you."_

_- The Legend of Dragoon_

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**ACT I: The Doors of Fate Open**

**Section I**

**words: 4335**

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The firelight flickered turning the entire world into an array of dancing, twining, light and shadow. The bonfire cracked and snapped; singing its very own entrancing tune that added to the sound of tambourine, flute, drum, and fiddle music. Women danced in the circle of firelight. A swirl of motion and color, while men kept time on knees and through clapping hands until one of the dancers invited them in. Scarves, shawls, skirts, and dark hair fluttered and spun accenting the movement of bodies shaped supple and honed by travel. Laughter filled the air as thickly as the smell of cooking food and woodsmoke.

Ed stood apart from them all at the edge of the circle of fire light; the shadows clouded his face, but the light of the flames still picked out his hair until it made it burn and his eyes almost glow. The _Roma_ were an amazing people. They were so full of life and they enthralled him, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to join them, not like Al.

Al was in there, right there with the _Roma_, hand in hand with a petite girl. They held their hands aloft as they danced: Bouncing, twirling, and spinning among the others. Their faces were alight with laughter. The girl was bedecked in brilliant carmine, gold, and white. She posed a brilliant foil to the more earthy tones that Alphonse sported, but neither was dulled. Their own energies well made up for anything clothing could leave lacking.

Noa had tried many a long hour to draw him out of his self-imposed solitude, but Edward could not be budged. It wasn't like he didn't want to join them, didn't want to loose himself in this: the throb of music, and fire, and movement, and _life,_ but he just couldn't seem to manage it. He wanted, so very badly, to be able to grasp that _peace, _that _freedom; _he wanted to reach out with both hands, grab on, and never let go. He was tired of standing half in the shadows just at the edge of the ring of firelight.

"Come sit with an old woman." A voice spoke up from near by. It cracked and rasped with age.

Ed looked to the side. There sat an old woman, bent with age. A heavy knit burgundy shawl was draped across her shoulders, and trailed the ground to either side of her hunched form. When she turned to look at him her face, beneath the worn and tattered head cloth she wore, was lined and spotted. Her eyes nearly disappeared in the wrinkles at the corners and her brows. For a moment, though, as she looked up at him he saw them. A disconcerting beetle black that in this forgotten edge realm both gleamed and dulled; the whites looked hazy and rheumy.

Ed felt compelled to step forward, and he did. The shadows slid away from his face like water running through a sieve. He folded his legs as he sank to the ground, his hands dropping listlessly in his lap.

The old woman gave him a wide, toothless smile. It made the folds and wrinkles of her cheeks deepen like a bloodhound's even as it explained the thick dregs of stew in the bowl before her. She turned back around to face the bonfire and the dancers. Her profile was all curved lines and reminded Ed of a boulder worn smooth and round with time and weather.

"I hear the two of you are leaving us."

Ed startled slightly, unaware that he had been staring. The old woman didn't seem the least bit perturbed, but what he could see of her eyes were gleaming. He didn't think it was just from the firelight.

"Yes. We have a mission." The words were tense and clipped though he couldn't really understand why.

"Hmmm." The old woman's face creased with a small, sly, knowing smile. "Don't worry so, my boy, fate isn't done with you yet."

Edward's breath hitched, catching in his chest and sticking in his throat. When his voice came out, it was strangled and he had to swallow a time or two to work passed the lump that had formed, "What... What do you mean?"

"If you keep following the path that you're on you'll find it is a long one, darling. A very long path indeed." She looked at him then, widening her eyes to really look at him and Ed could feel the hairs on his arms and at the nape of his neck standing on end for no reason he could perceive. "Enjoy this night for you will soon pass out of our lives entirely."

The spell was broken as the old woman turned away, reached out, and grabbed her bowl before working on the remains of her stew. Ed's gaze gravitated toward the dancers and the fire, a pensive frown weighing heavy on his face.

"Where have you been to?" The old woman asked suddenly.

Ed didn't even look away from the fire, instead he watched it with an intense enthrallment he usually only dedicated to his research. He thought he could see pictures in it that danced much more finely than any human ever could. The fire pulled him in, held him deep, and conquered his entire world. He almost felt as if he could topple into that conflagration and be happy.

His voice, when he spoke, was dreamy and distant even to his own ears, "I've been to Avalon."

"And what did you find there?" She asked, scratching absently at the mole on her chin.

"Not the Holy Grail and King Arthur that's for sure." Ed growled derisively, his voice gaining a little more vehemence.

The old woman cackled. It was only then that Ed was able to tear his gaze away from the blaze and turn toward her. It was interesting to watch the way her face contorted from the laugh. She turned to look at him to, and mirth made the lines of her face as deep as canyons.

"Soon, very soon darling you will be passing out of my sight. The path rounds a bend up ahead. I've never looked down that path. The fog there is thick and beguiling. Keep walking forward."

"I've always kept--"

Edward awoke with a snort to find his stomach telling him it wanted fed an hour ago. Tugging his arms out from under his head he stretched, back arching, one arm unfurled to the side while the other fist remained tucked close to his ear. He growled, retracting like a snail into its shell when his fist knocked against the back of the front seat. He was currently sprawled all over the backseat of his and Alphonse's car.

He noticed belatedly that they weren't moving anymore. Hooking white gloved fingers over the top of the collar of his heavy black jacket he pushed it down off his face and peeked out. Sunlight spilled into the vehicle turning the black interior more of a charcoal color. He sat up, kicking his boot heels against the side of the car to scoot back a bit; the jacket slid off his chest and pooled across his thighs.

Reaching up Edward pawed at his eyes for a moment, digging the grit from the corners of them. His neck ached dully from the position he'd slept in. Glancing toward the front seats he noticed that Alphonse wasn't there. A look at his surroundings across from him revealed them to be in a city or town. Leaning to the side he reached down, flipping aside the trailing edges of his jacket to reveal the heavy leather satchel that rested on the floor of the car. So harmless and unprepossessing in appearance, but containing within itself something so dangerous. Ed was just glad it was right where he left it.

With a grumble he settled back against the side of the car to wait for Al to appear. He was sure it wouldn't take long. As he waited his mind drifted back to the dream he'd just awoken from. It was a very familiar dream. Not only for the fact that he had had that dream before, but because it was a memory of the night before he and Al had left the _Roma_ behind to search of the Uranium Bomb. The only difference between his memory and the other dreams was the very end.

The old woman had never asked him where he'd been. No, right then Noa had approached him again with a hand held out and that time he had allowed himself to be drawn into the circle around the fire. That time, he had let worry fall from his shoulders and allowed himself to enjoy the way the night and the atmosphere set his soul ablaze until he felt like he was dancing with the fire rather than around it. He and Al had danced into the wee hours of the night. Danced until they had collapsed together and gotten much needed sleep. The next morning while mist still lay heavy on the moors they had slipped away without even a goodbye.

Alphonse hadn't liked it, but Edward had a gut deep feeling that the old woman was right. He didn't want to make any promises to these people that he couldn't keep. He knew if they had said farewell that there would be things said like _Until next time _and _See you again_ or _Come back soon_. His instincts had rarely led him wrong yet, after all.

What made him wonder the most was why he had felt suddenly so _light._ The old woman's words should have made him worry more; after all Edward had had more than enough with fate and what it did to his life. He should be sick and tired of having his world turned upside down, should have been horrified at the very thought. And yet, it had had the opposite effect on him. He had been somehow elated in knowing that there was something more, a goal to strive for. Just as then, now he felt a heavy weight on him that they had gotten the bomb. Surely that meant the journey was coming to a close...

This world was so drawn, contrived, and dull. While he had told Alphonse that this was their world now, and they needed to embrace it, he couldn't seem to manage it. He cared for the people, but in a vague way; like a man watching a picture show cares for the characters on screen. He knew all the actor's faces from an old favorite, but none of the characters were the same, nor did the problems grip him as tightly.

He wasn't unhappy, but he wasn't content either. What he really felt, Edward decided, was _restless_.

The drivers side front door open with a _clack _and Alphonse's sandy haired head appeared as he perched on the edge of the front seat, warm brown eyes already smiling at his older brother while his lips quirked slowly, "Finally awake I see."

A sheepish look stole across Edward's face, and he ducked his head, "Sorry, Al."

They were supposed to have traded off partway through their trip so each of them could get a few hours sleep after the ambush. Edward had gone to sleep first, and apparently hadn't woken up again until now.

Al shook his head at him fondly, "I didn't mind. It was good you were finally getting some sleep."

Edward had been on the go for nearly twenty four hours before the ambush on Glastonbury Tor. Alphonse had tried to get him to settle down, to stop worrying, but it hadn't exactly worked all that well. Given, Al was pretty sure it hadn't all been worry, Edward wasn't exactly the kind to nitpick plans after all. It was more likely that he'd just wanted to get moving, get acting, get the plan underway and be at it. Either way the end result was still an insomnia plagued, fidgety Edward.

"Anyway," Al said. "If we hurry I bet we can catch a late breakfast. I noticed a nice looking cafe just around the corner."

His answer came in the form of Ed's jacket smacking him in the face. Al didn't bother to catch it, and just let it flop to front seat. Ed nimbly climbed over the back of the front seat, before leaning back over it to grab the satchel containing the bomb. Al frowned.

"You're not taking that with you are you?"

Ed turned his head and gave Al a gimlet glare, his chin jutted out and the muscles of his jaw stood out from the tension as he clenched his teeth together, "I'm not leaving it here. We just spent a _year_ looking for this thing. I refuse to let it out of my sight. Just knowing our luck it'd get stolen and then we'd have to find it _again_!"

Al sighed, stood, and stepped back from the car in a show of acquiescence. As much as he hated to admit it Ed was probably right. Al waved his hands at his brother, "Okay, Okay. I get it."

It still bothered him a bit to have the thing in places populated with innocent people. What if it went off or something? There wasn't much they could do about that, though, until they figure out what they were going to do with it; how they were going to get _rid_ of it.

After Ed clambered out the door he spent a moment to smooth the wrinkles out of the charcoal gray undershirt and the black vest he wore, and shake them from his black pants. That done he slung his dark jacket on and pulled the satchel strap over his head, settling it diagonally across his chest. Seeing that and knowing that was a bomb resting comfortably against Ed's hip made Alphonse distinctly uneasy. Almost as if he knew where Al's thoughts were heading Edward flashed him a half sort of grin that set Al at ease.

"Where are we anyway?" Ed asked, head turning as he glanced around them. The buildings around them were all of warm colored stone or brick, with the occasional shock of a white washed one, or something else different that stuck out from the norm.

"Amesbury." Al answered promptly as he closed the door, and set off down the street with Ed at his heels.

"Ah." That didn't really tell Ed much except that they weren't in Glastonbury anymore. He supposed that was enough.

Alphonse led the way around the corner at the end of the street. There didn't really seem to be anyone about yet, and instead the town was encompassed by a sleepy feeling of quiet and lassitude. A few more feet along this path and Al turned aside to tug open the door on a building made of brown stone with a large airy window on the front alongside the door. Filmy white text in simple but elegant curling letters declared the places name. A chime sounded when Al opened the door.

The inside was as warmly colored as the old stone that made up the exterior. The walls were painted a rich cream color while the baseboards were of a dark wood. Booth's lined two walls, made of dark rich wood with deep red seating. The tables were made of a paler sort of wood and the chairs and tables down the middle of the small cafe echoed this theme. A few potted plants hung above the middle tables, draping trailing blooms, leaves, and vines over the edges of their holders. The muted aroma of flowers told that they were real rather than fake. A few paintings decorated the walls near the booths. Their images of local landscape including an image of stone henge; all in black and white.

Al and Ed chose the table right before the window with Ed putting his back to a corner. Al shrugged off his gunmetal gray jacket and settled it over the back of his chair. He was dressed similarly to Edward only in shades of white and gray while his pants matched the color of his jacket.

It seemed only two or three people manned the place as two women stood near the counter. The one on their side of it, obviously a waitress, had a loose fall of blond hair that reached her shoulders. The woman leaning lazily on the counter was a brunette, pretty enough with her lips curved into a wicked tilt. The brunette's eyes flickered over, catching sight of them and she said something quietly to the waitress. When she turned Ed sucked in a breath of surprise.

It never failed to shock him when he saw the doppelgangers of this world. He was never prepared for it.

The waitress walked toward them, and as she stopped at the side of their table her lips curved up in a polite smile, Al and Ed found themselves staring into the face of Riza Hawkeye; only Riza Hawkeye didn't have green eyes. Nor did Ed think he'd ever seen such an open and kind expression on her face.

Edward had to look away. Seeing the face of _Riza Hawkeye_ like that made him feel horribly disconcerted. He didn't think he'd ever get used to this, and had hoped on some level that he could avoid running into people he'd known so long back ho-- in Amestris. This was home now. Why couldn't he seem to remember that?

Instead Ed focused on settling the leather satchel between his chair and the low wall beneath the large window. And trying not to flinch when Not-Riza spoke.

"Would you like a menu?"

Alphonse smiled up at her pleasantly, "Yes, please."

The woman's lips quirked a little further upward at Al's pleasant and earnest manner as she handed over two of the menus. Ed took his without raising his eyes. The pair scanned the breakfast menu for a few seconds.

"Toast and Blackcurrant Jam, please." Ed said quietly, hand extending the menu back up to the patiently waiting Not-Riza. He never once looked up. "And a glass of orange juice."

Alphonse smiled up at her, all boyish charm, "I'll have porridge. And orange juice as well, please."

Edward wrinkled his nose at his brothers choice, but said nothing.

As Not-Riza walked away Al turned to smile a little sadly at his elder sibling, "You all right, Brother?"

Shrugging a shoulder laconically Ed replied morosely, "I'm fine it's just..." He waved one hand in the air, giving up on the ineffective words. Words just couldn't really describe what it was.

"I know." Al whispered, looking down at his hands clasped on the table top.

Ed watched Not-Riza discreetly from behind lowered eye lashes. His head was angled so that he seemed to be looking more toward the window that the interior. One arm thrown over the back of his chair while the other propped up his chin with an elbow on the table. He looked a vision of somnolence.

Seeing Hawkeye in a modest knee length black skirt and simple white blouse was nearly as baffling as her open demeanor had been. He was sure there was a time or two that he had seen her out of uniform, but he couldn't think of one now. Riza Hawkeye was forever imprinted in his memory as an uptight figure with a stern, but not unkind attitude.

While they waited, mostly in silence, a few odd customers drifted in; apparently on their way to work they stopped to grab a baked good or the like. They simply approached the counter and left with their order. A few stayed, and soon there was a small amount of patrons scattered through out the restaurant. There wasn't much in the way of talking, only quiet murmurs from a few, and the rustle of a news paper from the man in one corner.

Not-Riza returned and set the plate with Ed's toast and a small glass bowl with his blackcurrant jam down before him, and Al's porridge, still steaming, before the younger Elric. Edward wrinkled his nose at his brother again, but didn't comment in favor of liberally spreading the jam on his slices of toast.

Al gave Not-Riza a cheerful smile, "Thank you."

Not-Riza bobbed her head, smiling again with more warmth than even before, "Ask if you two need anything else." With that she went back to the rest of the customers.

More customers came and went as Ed tore apart his toast and ate the pieces and Alphonse slowly spooned through the porridge. By the time they finished morning was well progressed. Ed was just downing the last of his orange juice while Alphonse finished off his porridge when the bell on the door chimed. Ed automatically glanced up and froze.

_It couldn't be..._

Noticing his brothers suddenly pale complexion Al turned to look to and gave a surprised squeak.

There, in the doorway, was this world's version of _Roy Mustang._

While he could have been Roy himself in physical appearance; the pale skin, dark hair, and dark eyes was all the same. It was his manner of dress that didn't resemble the man they knew at all. The white button down he wore was half tucked in, and his pants creased and wrinkled; though the long dark coat he wore could have been the twin of one the brother's had seen Roy Mustang wear. The black hair was mussed as though he'd been running his fingers through it, and upon his nose was perched a pair of glasses. He looked as if he hadn't shaved recently with stubble lining his chin and jaw. In his arms he carried a great deal of notebooks and texts. Not-Roy's dark eyes scanned the room for a moment before the man ducked his head and made his way to a booth near the back of the room; head bowed and shoulders slumped.

"Hey, Elizabeth, it looks like Mr. Mustang is here." The brunette at the counter said in an obvious stage whisper.

Not-Roy hunched his shoulders further, sinking slightly in the booth he'd chosen. There was a rustle and shuffle of papers and books as the man busied himself with his things. Ed couldn't see what he was doing, he had his back toward them.

Not-Riza, no, _Elizabeth_ left off cleaning a few of the empty tables and walked toward Not-Roy's table. Stopping beside it she said quietly, "Hello, Royce. The usual?"

Royce lifted his head to look up at her, "I, uh... Yes, that would be fine Miss Hawkeye."

Elizabeth smiled kindly at the man, "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Liza, or Elizabeth?"

"My apologies, E-Elizabeth." Royce stumbled over the name.

Elizabeth gave him one more fleeting smile before going back toward the counter to make sure the order was placed.

Edward turned away, scowling heavily, and stood so abruptly that his chair scraped loudly over the floor. Digging into a pocket he pulled out his wallet and tucked a large tip for Elizabeth under one of the glasses. He nodded to Alphonse knowing his brother would see to the bill. With that Ed grabbed the leather satchel and stormed out of the building.

Alphonse sighed after his brother, noticing the looks they were getting. Standing up he made his way to the counter while Elizabeth slipped passed to clear the table. Smiling crookedly at the brunette he apologized, "Sorry about him, my brother has been having a rough couple of days."

More like a rough several years. They'd both had that, but lately things had been harder than ever on Ed and he couldn't understand _why_ no matter how badly he wanted to. For awhile Al had thought that Ed was keeping things from him, but it hadn't taken him long to realize that Ed didn't know what was wrong either. It worried him a great deal.

"I can understand. Things have been a bit tense lately haven't they?"

"Yeah..." Al agreed, handing over the money after she'd given him the price. "It was a wonderful meal though, compliments to your chef."

The swinging door nearby popped open and a familiar looking blond head poked out, a cigarette dangling from the man's lips, "Thank you, mon ami."

The brunette whipped her head around and glared at the Havoc doppelganger, "You better not be smoking in there!"

"I am not, ma cherie, as you can see it is unlit."

Al somehow managed to keep his smile from wavering, and was devoutly grateful that Ed had already left. He didn't think his brother would know what to think of a Havoc look alike who was apparently both French, and a chef in a little English cafe. _Alphonse_ didn't even know what to think of it.

Nodding once more to them Al moved back to the table to retrieve his jacket then quit the place to go in search of his brother. He found Ed sitting cross legged on the hood of their car, the satchel protectively in the cradle of his legs. The sight once again made Alphonse nervous, but he swallowed it back. Ed's features were set in a grim frown.

"I'm going to go ask around town a bit for directions then we can get moving again." Al said.

Ed nodded sharply, "I'll wait here. I don't feel like wandering around and listening to people gabble."

Al's lips quirked into a slight smile. He knew that was Ed speak for 'I'm still weirded out and don't want to deal with another one.'

"Of course, Brother."

* * *


	3. ACT I, SECTION II

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N:** To be technical this is two chapters in one day. Aren't you two lucky? Though since it says I updated on the 26th I decided it was fine to post another one. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

**ACT I: The Doors of Fate Open**

**Section II**

**words: 4001**

* * *

Al wasn't gone all that long and when he came back it was at a pelting pace down the side walk, his face alight with glee, "Brother! Brother! Guess what!"

Ed, who had shifted so that he was laying on his side on the narrow hood with his head propped on his palm up near the windshield and his other arm wrapped protectively around the leather satchel like it was a teddy bear rather than a bomb, blinked lazily at his younger brother and yawned, "Ehh?"

Alphonse skidded to a halt, boots grating over the concrete, a few feet in front of the car and propped his fists on his hips. Squinting at his brother in an approximation of a studying glare he drew out, "Bro-_ther_."

Ed growled, flailing out a foot in a half-hearted attempt to kick his younger brother. "Whaaat?"

"You were napping weren't you!" Al accused.

"So what if I was!" Ed barked, closing his golden eyes again.

Alphonse rolled his eyes, "You're incorrigible."

"Blah blah blah." Ed groused, lifting his hand off the satchel he shoved his pinkie finger into his ear and wiggled it around, "Can we go now?"

"Ah!" Alphonse's demeanor immediately changed and he leaned forward, pulling himself onto the rounded curves of the hood and crawling up next to his brother. "That's right! I wanted to tell you what I found out." Ed grunted and Alphonse took that for the go ahead as he settled with his hands behind him, palms flat against the hood and legs dangling over the side. "Stonehenge is really close by here! I heard some people talking about it, and when I asked the locals it was true. We actually passed it on our way in I guess, but I didn't notice."

Al grinned widely, tilting his head back so that the ponytail he'd allowed to grow out again shifted over his shoulders. His feet rocked back and forth, the toes of his shoes tapping together. Edward couldn't help the small, slow smile that curled his lips at the image of pure boyish delight his little brother made just then.

Turning wide, imploring, brown eyes on his big brother Al asked, "Can we go? Please, Brother?"

And, really, how could Ed say no to that? "Yeah, sure. Why not? It could be fun."

"Yes!" Al cheered, and promptly tackled Ed as well as he could. The two tussled for a moment, careful of the satchel nearby, mussing each others hair and laughing in unrestrained joy.

A few passers by stared, but the two brothers didn't care. They were enmeshed in their own little world where the only thing that was important was each other. They had looked after each other for so long, relied only on themselves for as long. They may have had help in the past, but lately it had been only them. Their bond had only grown.

Edward dug his fingers into Al's ribs causing the boy to squeal. Al writhed away from Ed's attack and threw himself over the edge of the car. He landed, cat like, on his toes and hands before scrambling to the other in the the vehicle where he finally straightened.

Leaning against the back of the car Alphonse peeked around the side and gave his brother a baleful look, "That's cheating, Brother!"

"Pffft." was Ed's succinct reply. Then he stretched like as lazily as a cat, arms extending over his head, crossing before parting. Edward prowled off the hood of the car with boneless grace, stopping only to roll his shoulders free of built up tension. A mischievous hunting smile unfurled across his face, more teeth than anything else.

Al squeaked then ducked back behind the relative safety of the car and crept to the other side. Peering around he found Ed watching him, having followed to the other side. Giving another squeak Alphonse ducked back and retreated. This continued for awhile, neither of them wanting to relinquish their positions, until Ed tired of the game and took his hands off the hood of the car. He sprinted down along the side causing Al to squeal again and take off along the other side, too slow. Ed caught him. Alphonse was dragged into a headlock, his elder brother's fingers digging into his sides.

Al squirmed and writhed, trying to twist out of the reach of Ed's tickling fingers but the older Elric kept a firm but careful grip on the younger with his automail arm.

"Brother! No! Stop it! Please, Brother!" Al gasped out between fits of laughter, his voice cracking and breaking on the end.

While Al's voice for the most part was settling into a deeper tone there were times when his voice still broke, and it never failed to make Ed laugh, nor Al flush. Still, it was like a reminder that Alphonse was real, and human, and growing.

People stared as they passed by; some smiling at the two brothers, others shaking their heads at their frivolity.

Alphonse shoved at Ed and finally wrenched free. Ed whirled away planning to get out of reach before Al could enact revenge. However, his bid for freedom was cut short when he ran smack into someone walking down the sidewalk. The other person was knocked to the ground. Sheathes of paper went flying, books tumbled, and what looked like rolled up maps fell away. They bounced with a hollow sound against the walk before rolling aside.

Edward stared down into a familiar face framed by glasses knocked askew while Royce Mustang stared back up at him for a beat before his dark eyes skated aside and down. The dark haired man reached up and carefully righted his glasses.

"M-my apologies." That painfully familiar voice was used in such a starkly unfamiliar tone: So self-conscious and uncertain.

Ed crossed his arms over his chest, fists clenched tightly so he wouldn't grip himself, and tilted his head to put his nose in the air. It took every ounce of self control to keep his mulish frown from transforming into a sneer, "Yeah, I bet. Learn to watch where you're going, jackass."

"Brother!" Alphonse's scandalized voice sounded from behind him, but Ed paid him no mind.

Giving his brother a dirty look Al moved passed him to where Royce was trying to gather all of his dropped things and began to help the man; gathering a sheaf of loose papers he tucked them into a neat pile.

"Here you go."

Royce looked up from the messy collection of texts and paper he held against his chest, eyes stopping for a moment on the papers held toward him before sliding up to Alphonse's face. Al simply smiled, as friendly as ever. Royce carefully took the papers, eyes wide with surprise, and tucked them in amongst the rest before tottering precariously to his feet.

"Th-thank you. I am terribly sorry for the trouble."

Alphonse waved his hands in the air, smile taking on a slightly sheepish edge, "Nonono. There was no trouble. Don't mind Brother, he's just a little cranky." Ed's 'HEY!' went ignored as Alphonse rubbed the back of his head. "Just be careful, okay? Wouldn't want you to loose something!"

"Yes, of-of course. You two take care." Royce demurred, nodding to them before heading down the walk, head bowed.

"You to!" Alphonse called after him, arm lifted and waving. Once Royce disappeared around the far corner he turned to regard his brother with a scowl.

"What?" Ed barked, meeting Al scowl for scowl.

Ed's face was, despite the knit brows and tense frown, a vision of discomfort to Alphonse. Al let out a sigh and allowed his shoulders to slump as he decided to let it go. He couldn't really be angry with Ed just then; it was obvious that dealing with this world's version of Roy Mustang was putting Edward on edge for whatever reason.

Shaking his head Al conjured up a smile for his brother, "Come on I still have to find out the best route to London. You're going to help this time!"

Ed sighed, but could see the immovable determination in his brother's face, "Fine. Let me get the damn thing."

* * *

"We really should buy a road map." Alphonse said with a great deal of irony coloring his voice.

Ed snorted, "Probably."

Al craned his head, the crown of his skull digging into the uncomfortable seat of the car, "You're the one who didn't want to buy one!"

It hadn't taken them all that long to get reliable directions, they'd gone through this often enough. Now they were back in the car, lazing. They really should have left, but neither of them particularly felt like it yet. Both Elrics were in the front seat Edward on the passengers side, sitting at a slight angle with his legs thrown over the side of the car, slumped down, and the uranium bomb laden satchel held protectively in the cup of stomach, chest, and thighs. His head rested on the back of the seat; his golden eyes staring at the sky through hooded lashes. Alphonse lay on his back with the backs of his thighs pressed against the side of the car and his knees hooked over the edge; his feet dangled. One arm curled up and over the back of the seat while the hand of the other rested on the bottom of the steering wheel's loop.

"Maybe we shouldn't have borrowed this car from Mabuse's friend." Ed mused.

Al relaxed his neck again to take in the sky. The morning had been as clear and sunny as the night before had been clear and star-filled, but now wispy gray clouds were gravitating into the area where they joined and bloomed like cotton flowers. Even as he watched two of the wispy things melted together to form a larger, thicker cloud. He didn't doubt that there would be rain before long.

"You're the one who wanted to." Al reminded him. "You said we needed to be more mobile."

"It's true." Ed groused.

"I never said it wasn't." Alphonse agreed, smoothing his brother's ruffled feathers with the ease of long practice.

Ed rolled his eyes. He hated how Al could do that! He could diffuse any argument before it even got started just by being agreeable.

Alphonse heaved a sigh and, with a shove, righted himself. Twisting his legs back into the car as he sat up properly. "We should get going. I still want to see Stonehenge!"

Ed gave a moan at the idea of moving, his head lolling. Still the elder Elric shifted around with lots of grumbling and an over dramatic slowness that forced Al to bite the knuckle of his pointer finger to stifle his snickers. Ed gave him a sardonically put upon look that wouldn't have been out of place on a cat.

Alphonse started the car which sputtered and grumbled to life. Ed's attention soon zeroed in on the scenery and he allowed his thoughts to carry him off.

It was true enough that it had been Ed's idea to borrow the car when Mabuse had offered to get them in contact with a man who would lend them one. Up until then the two Elric brothers had been hitch-hiking across Europe, or using public transport if they were lucky enough to have money from the odd jobs they'd do when they could. They'd still spent many a time avoiding detection as they stowed away on trains, though. Ed had learned that sometimes it was best to allow ones morals to be flexible. He may still have a great many of them, and a great many ideals, but his life here had forced him to relax them and come to terms with that fact.

He could look back and admit he'd still been more of a child than he had thought at the time. Sometimes, in the darkest moments, he mourned that innocence and wished he could regain a sliver of it. Edward Elric may have given up his right to being an innocent child the moment he began to contemplate Human Transmutation, and dragged his little brother with him down that path of sin, but he had still had something of a child's innocent naivety and idealism. Most of that had been shattered beneath the blunt hammer of reality.

Beyond the verge of the road the grass had been cropped short by cattle, or other means; though even some longer stands of it rolled by in emerald to dark green patches. Copses of dark trees clustered together like groups of chatting neighbors and above it all the sky went from blue to milky gray, to a dark steel coloring with only hints of white where the sun managed to force a watery ray through. The first few sprinkles spattered against Ed's face, and he blinked out of the trance the travel had put him in.

Edward found himself rocketed out the last dregs of his stupor by a sound like a gun shot. Alphonse swore which only brought Ed further from the feelings of sleeping lassitude. Al rarely swore.

"I think we just blew another tire." Al sighed, applying pressure to the break and bringing them coasting to a stop on the road side with a faint crunch.

Edward growled.

The two brothers clambered out of the car and checked the narrow tires on each side. Alphonse waved him over to the driver's side front tire a moment later. It was, indeed, very much partially shredded and completely flat.

"We have the worst luck." Ed griped.

Alphonse dug his fingers into the base of his short ponytail at the bottom of his skull and gave a slight tug in aggravation, "Of course."

The two shared a glance then looked up at the sky at the same time, sighed, and said as one, "Elric Curse."

The Elric brothers shared a conspiratorial grin. They'd each developed a rather morbid sense of humor as of late. It had become apparent that while optimism and sheer gut force determination could keep you going for awhile, eventually you just had to accept and make the best of things. Being able to joke about horrible circumstances was an amazingly useful coping mechanism for them both.

"Do we at least have a spare?" Ed asked, his voice already tinged rather heavily with resignation.

Al gave a chuckle that wasn't in any way related to humor and looked up at Ed from where he crouched alongside the ruined tire, "We used the one we had during that dead end lead in Wales a couple weeks ago, remember?"

"Fuck." Ed growled succinctly. Then kicked he the ruined tire for good measure.

Alphonse braced his hands on his knees and pushed himself upright, dusting his palms off on the dark gray material of his trousers, "It's times like these that I really miss Alchemy."

With a laugh that was bitter, but more melancholy Edward brought his hands up and snapped them together with a sharp clap in an all to familiar gesture. The lack of alchemical charge singing through his veins when he did this always made him feel incomplete. It was almost as bad as when his limbs were detached; a horrible aching feeling of something that ought to be there but isn't. He could still remember how in the early months after his first trip through the gate to Earth he'd find himself trying to use his Alchemy on occasion. Like a phantom limb, it still felt like it was there, it just wasn't.

Al was coping both better and worse than he had, was. While Alphonse had only been without Alchemy for a little more than a year he hadn't had to have a taste of it again only to give it up.

Ed dropped his hands. "There's not much we can do about it anyway."

"I think there's a house not far back. We could go see if they can give us a hand." Al said, changing the topic before Ed could get too mired in the thoughts so obviously lingering behind the gold of his irises.

Turning his head the gold haired man starred back along the road. The breeze picked up, ruffling his fringe and making it tickle his cheeks and jawline. Fattening rain drops tapped against the side of his face; chilly despite, or perhaps because of, the relatively warm weather.

"Probably for the best." Ed agreed at last. Reaching up he smudged away the droplets of water with his gloved hand before moving alongside the front seat of the car.

Alphonse headed all the way to the back while Ed retrieved and donned the leather satchel. Then, together, they unfolded and pulled the canvas roof of the car into place and closed it up as best they could as protection against the oncoming wet weather. By the time the had finished the rain was coming down hard enough to leave visible spots on the road where the thick droplets landed. Ed reached over and tugged Al's hood up over his head causing the younger Elric to laugh and give his older brother a shove. Laughing, Ed stumbled backward feigning hurt before he flipped his own hood up over his golden blond head. The two brothers headed off down the road, walking side by side; close enough that their shoulders bumped on occasion. It was also the perfect distance to make it easy shove to the other if they wanted to. All in good humor, of course.

The smell of rain, wet grass, and wet earth pervaded their senses as they walked a quick pace along the roadside. They passed thick scraggly untended hedges, and delineating fences of wood posts and wire. A huddle of dairy cattle at one point, watched them from under the dripping bows of a crooked tree, chewing absently at their cuds. The rain hissed as it gathered strength, slipping from fat thick drops that fell few and far between to a perpetual fall of smaller ones that painted the ground in rain soaked darker colors.

The ground greedily drank until it could contain no more and left the rain water in a muddy sheen at the surface where grass stalks and flowers bent their heads under the weight of rain water, dripping their burdens into puddles forming in the soil below. The Elric brother's boots thudded heavily into the standing water, squelching and splashing as the two picked up their pace. Heavy sodden jackets flapped around water and mud spattered legs as the two jogged down the road. Through the mist created by the rain a squat, rambling little building hove into view surrounded by a thick growth of trees and underbrush.

Alphonse reached the residence first as Edward was taking more care with his pace in difference to the bomb he carried and paused on the edge of the road. A small white washed wooden gate stood between two hedges that seemed to be fast overgrowing. Reaching over the gate Al squinted through the water dripping off his hood and falling from the sky as he fumbled with the latch before he finally got it free. The gate came open with a sharp tug, the hinges creaking plaintively. Edward stepped through first and Alphonse followed a beat later.

The dirt path had been turned to a thick soup of mud that stuck to their boots and coated the hems of their jackets and pants all the more. Hedges hemmed them in on either side, growing wildly and unkempt in a riot of twisting branches and leaves. Ahead of them the little house sat amongst the tangle, and looking very much like that very tangle was attempting to swallow it whole. Slopping and dark gray the roof set above the rather rambling white washed building. It had, perhaps, two floors.

Trellises covered in ivy so thick one could barely make out the wood of the trellis or the white of the wall they leaned against sat to one side of the door. The door itself was painted a red that had faded away with time and weather. A Rhododendron, let to grow with its own mind, crouched between the ivy and the door like some strange and patient pet. Above it all a red brick chimney stood guardian, a lazy curl of smoke listing from the top; it was blown away and dissipated almost as soon as it emerged.

The other side of the door was taken up by a long narrow flower bed in which clustered a multitude of flowering plants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Charlock, and Bluebells grew alongside Lupin, Daffodils, and Irises; all competing for space and yet somehow coexisting in a wild yet appealing array.

Off to one side a garage-cum-tool shed stood just as, if not, more covered in ivy than the house itself. It had a look to it as if it had once served purpose as a stable or barn of some kind. Along the near side several disused garden tools hung on a decaying wooden rack. Several sparrows were using it as a convenient perch as they flicked the wet from their wings.

The door was in a slight recess which guarded them from the rain and allowed the two siblings to shake a bit of the water off their coats. Edward batted at a droplet covered cluster of Rhododendron blossoms that were intent on tickling the back of his head and shoved his hood back. Alphonse shook back his own hood and reached up to rap the backs of his knuckles against the door.

Silence greeted them, and just as Al reached up to try knocking again there was muffled thump from inside.

"A moment! One moment!"

Ed and Al exchanged glances. That voice had sounded oddly _familiar_. There was a rattle, and then the heavy wooden door swung open with a groan. Standing there, framed by the doorway and the warm glow of the lighting behind him was Royce Mustang. He blinked at them over his glasses, then reached up to adjust them. Edward turned and began to head back out into the rain.

Alphonse shot his hand out and caught Ed by the hood of his black jacket, tugging his errant sibling back to his side while smiling disarmingly at Royce, "Hello again!"

Royce gave another bemused blink then smiled a little hesitantly, "Oh... Hello. You're the two from Monsieur Havoc's cafe. And the ones from.. from, yes, before."

Al extended his free hand, "I'm Alphonse Elric, and this is my elder brother Edward."

"Royce Mustang." Royce said, and accepted the handshake. He cast a glance toward Ed who was pouting valiantly. "Was there something the matter...?"

Immediately taking up a sheepish look Al laughed a bit nervously, "A tire on our car blew, so we were hoping whoever lived here could either lend us a spare or... direct us where we could find one."

"But we're fine!" Ed spoke up in a loud, obnoxious voice. "Look, Al! I think the rains clearing up. I bet we could make it back to town no problem!"

A low grumble of thunder punctuated the end of Ed's sentence.

Royce gave an amused sound and stepped back, "Why don't the two of you come in and wait out the weather. I don't mind, I rarely have company."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, Mr. Mustang." Al said, grinning in relief.

"How about I just--"

"Take your boots off, Brother. We don't want to track mud all over his house." Alphonse's grin never faulted as he pulled Ed after him.

* * *


	4. ACT I, SECTION III

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard disclaimers.**

* * *

**ACT I: The Doors of Fate Open**

**Section III**

**words: 4752**

* * *

The two Elric brother's paused on the threshold to pull off their boots which they set aside on the stoop, out of any danger of getting soaked further. That done they stepped inside and Royce closed the door behind them. They'd luckily dripped off for the most part while still outside and didn't get more than a few droplets on the man's floor.

The inside of the domicile was just cozy looking and untidy as the outside. The low ceilinged rooms and hallways, all painted in warm colors, were filled with tables and shelves there were cluttered with books, texts, notes, maps, papers, writing instruments, and an array of other knickknacks. A couple steps led down into the slightly recessed living room from where they stood. Directly across from them a fire burned in the hearth of a large, squat fire place. Hanging above the fire place were three pictures. In the middle a painting of a three person family: A stern faced man in decorated military colors; he had a beak of a nose and dark eyes along with a strong jaw, and a thin line of a mouth set in a sharp line. His hair was a rich brown. The woman beside him was a petite woman of obvious Chinese decent, and smiles tucked into the corners of her mouth. The little boy standing at her side, holding her hand and grinning, was obviously Royce.

To either side of the painting were black and white portraits of the man and woman.

A radio issued forth a crackling batch of words. It seemed to be a radio play, something Shakespearean. It sounded like _A Midsummer Night's Dream_.

"If you want I can see if I have some clothing that could fit you while yours dry off..." Royce offered, voice hesitant as he peered between the two brothers.

Al gave a lopsided smile, "We don't want to impose too much... So if we could just..." He waved his hand at the fire. "Dry out, if you don't mind?"

Royce gave another shy, crooked smile, "No, no, go right ahead. You are not imposing at all I was just--" The shrill whistle of a teapot broke in. "... m-making some tea. Please, make yourselves comfortable." With that Royce ducked his head and bustled off down a slight staircase toward where the kitchen obviously was.

The Elric brothers pulled off their heavy jackets and lay them on the stone before the grate. Almost as soon as they were laid out the cloth began to steam slightly as the fire worked on evaporating the water. Ed sat down on the thick rug before the fire, stick his sock clad feet under the edge of his coat, and carefully adjusted the position of the leather satchel. Then, using the sleeve of his black undershirt, began to clean off as much of the wet as he could. That done he crossed his arms and rested them atop his bent knees.

Alphonse stood gazing down at his older brother with a faint frown. Ed's face was hidden by the shadow of his fringe, but Al could tell by the way he gripped his elbows that the elder Elric was probably staring into the fire with the intensity of a hunting cat. His muscles were ridged and tense as if he would have to spring, to fight or run Al wasn't sure, at any moment. Before Al could comment the sound of footsteps heralded the return of their current host. Alphonse turned to see Royce baring a tray with three tea cups, a steaming pot of tea, and the assorted additives.

The younger Elric immediately rushed over, "Here, let me give you a hand!"

Royce didn't stand a chance; stuttering and trying to dissuade the whirlwind that was Alphonse Elric he suddenly found himself tea trayless while the blond set it on the coffee table where the man was heading.

"I really can't let you do all this for us without helping. You've been much too kind already. I would feel horrible!" Al said blithely.

"Yes, well I... I see, it's just... I, ah..." Royce gave up and simply sat down on the edge of the nearby chair where the book he'd been reading before his unexpected guests arrived was still sitting.

Al's eyes twinkled at the dark haired man as he poured tea for the three of them, "I suppose I must seem rude."

"N-no, not at all!" Royce insisted, eyes wide behind his glasses which had slipped precariously to the end of his nose. He quickly rectified their positioning. "J-just very... up front..."

Giving a chuckle Al nudged Ed in the lower back with his sock clad foot then handed the tea cup and saucer to his brother when the man turned to look at him. Ed mumbled a thank you.

"You needn't lie." Al said, sounding a bit chagrined as he looked back at Royce. Al flashed him a slightly sheepish smile, "It's just... I'm very grateful, and our mother always taught us to show our gratitude. You could have turned us out after all. Not a lot of people would be keen to let strangers into their homes." Giving a look to the back of his brother's head he added, "Ed never was very good at learning his lessons..."

Al yelped as Edward's automail elbow caught him in the shin.

Royce chuckled, a rich deep sound that caused both brother's to start in surprise. Royce flushed as he fell under the gazes of the two Elrics. "You are a strange pair... You two don't strike me as the type to be robbers and murderers." The dark haired man cleared his throat, "In any matter after the rain clears up we can check my garage. I may have something the two of you can use, if not we can call Monsieur Havoc. He has a friend... Mr. Brena, or Bread, or some such who will be able to help the pair of you."

"You've mentioned that name twice now." Al mused, then clarified. "Havoc."

"Yes, Monsieur Jean-Paul Havoc is the owner and chef of that cafe."

Ed gave a soft snort, and Al nudged his sibling with his foot then asked, "Is he French?"

"Half, I believe." Royce reached over and set about preparing his tea to his liking at last, before lifting saucer and cup to take a sip. "Is mother was English, from this area, and his father French. He learned all of his cooking skills from his mother; was raised by her. He says he inherited his charm from his father, but the only charm that man had was nightly." Royce suddenly flushed, realizing what he'd said. "If you'll excuse my saying so."

"You don't have to worry about us. We won't tell a soul." Alphonse assured gently.

"It's not polite to speak ill of your neighbors." Royce said simply.

For a moment there was only the sound of china clinking as teacup met saucer, or was pulled away again, accompanied by the snap and crackle of the fire. The rain and wind rattled the windows as the sound of thunder picked up, drawing ever closer. An ornate grandfather clock nearby chimed the fourth hour of the day. Alphonse glanced up, eyes going from the face of the clock to the pictures hanging over the mantel.

"Are they your parents?"

Royce started, and blinked owlishly at him over the top of his glasses and teacup in a way that made Al think he'd forgotten they were there. The man looked up, following Al's gaze to the pictures, "Ah, yes. Yes they were."

"Oh." Al stumbled for a moment wondering what to say then just settled for the well used classic. "I'm sorry."

The dark haired man cracked a slight smile, "They're not dead. Father disowned me. He always wanted me to follow in his footsteps, always wanted another Major General in the family, if not better. I'm afraid I'm not well suited for... Well, he was always disappointed in me and when I refused straight up, he disowned me. Mother, Mei-Hua is her name, helped me out a bit. She was always a formidable woman. She somehow convinced him that I might come around." The last part was said wryly. "But I haven't spoken to either of them in years. Father's probably told himself he doesn't have a son. You are very easy to talk with."

Al rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a faint line of color heating his face, "I've been accused of that often. Our parents are dead, so we're on our own."

"I had wondered..." Royce sent him a sharp look over the tops of his spectacles that looked so much like the Roy Mustang of Amestris that Al had to fight the urge to straighten his spine. "You don't seem very old."

"Brother looks after me!" Al chirped.

It was a half-truth, really, but he couldn't exactly tell the man that while he was physically only around fourteen years old, he was mentally (and time wise, really) several years older.

"The two of you must have a very special bond." Royce said simply.

A lance of lightning made the room briefly brighten before sinking back into the fire lit half-light. The roll of thunder sounded as though it was directly overhead and made the windows rattle in their panes. The wind whistled around the chimney.

Royce stood and picked his way over to one of the windows. The man took another slow sip of tea from the cup in his hand as he pulled aside the drapery and peered out into rain washed world beyond. Another bolt of lightning lit the sky casting the man into stark silhouette; the thunder seemed to reverberate on for miles.

"I don't think this storms going to let up until well into the night." The man said after a moment of watching the way the wind made the grass, hedges, and plants twist. Royce turned to regard the two strangers he'd let into his home. "The two of you are welcome to stay the night. I'm afraid I do not have any guest rooms but..."

"We've slept on worse." Alphonse said dryly. "Whatever you can offer us, has to be better than somewhere we've slept before."

Edward gave a loud snort and finally spoke up, his voice saturated with sarcasm, "You mean like that time in Germany last winter when the train we'd expected to come through didn't arrive and we were forced to huddle in a ditch for body warmth?"

Al winced, "Yes. Like that." The younger Elric looked at Royce, a frank look on his face and a crooked smile. "Just having a roof over us in this kind of weather is welcome. A place to stretch out is a luxury."

"I call the rug by the fire." Edward growled into the dregs of his tea.

Giving a helpless laugh Alphonse kicked Ed lightly in the back making Ed growl at him again, "Yeah, yeah... You and your liking for heat."

Glancing up Al caught Royce watching them again, a peculiar look on his face. The dark haired man shook his head and chuckled at the pair, "You two are truly odd."

"We'll take that as a compliment." Al chortled.

"Are the two of you hungry?" Royce asked. The man turned to look at the grandfather clock, squinting in the half light to see the hands and numbers. The fire light glanced off his glasses in short bursts creating an odd ethereal effect as if the man was part shadow, part light. "It's a bit early yet, but I have had some soup put on to heat. I doubt anyone is going to think us scoundrels for eating supper off my usual schedule."

Anything Al would have said was cut off as his stomach growled at the mention of food. Cheeks flushing, Alphonse ducked his head. Belatedly, he remembered that the two of them hadn't bothered with lunch. It wasn't the longest stretch they'd gone without eating, but still...

Royce stood and began to gather the teacups and saucers back onto the tray, but when he stepped over to take Ed's Edward gave him a narrow golden glare and reached passed him to set it down. For a moment Royce stared at him, looking baffled, then subsided with a faint bemused smile. He seemed to just let the hostility go uncontested despite the fact that it seemed to visibly bother him. Alphonse found himself frowning at Ed once again.

"I'm not the best cook." Royce said quietly as he waved for the brothers to follow him down the short stair case and into the kitchen. "But it does what it's meant to."

"I'm sure its better than an empty stomach or that slop we had while staying with that sheep farmer in Scotland." Al mused. "I'm not really sure what was worse."

Edward who'd been stumping after him, favoring his automail leg like a peg legged pirate due to the ache the chill and wet had put into the socket, groused, "The slop after we found out what it was."

Alphonse glanced back over his shoulder at his brother, looking amused at the picture of twisted awe and disgust on the Ed's face, "Yes, its hard to believe how many uses for sheep entrails there are..."

They were used to sheep. Resembool had a lot of them after all, but that had been a bit much!

The kitchen was a cozy, small area with stone floors and walls. Another heavy wooden door stood ajar leading to a porch, and beyond that a vegetable garden surrounded by more untamed hedges. Beyond the hedges was a small verge of open grass, and then a thick copse of trees broke the landscape; a dark blotch that filled the horizon. What looked like a horse track and general pathway wound through the trees.

At the center of the kitchen a heavy solid wood table stood, its finish was faded and the grain stark from years of use. The cupboards were much the same. A gas stove squatted to one side of a deep basin sink. Several glazed earthenware bowls decorated a series of shelves above a spice rack which was above the stove. On the stove itself a heavy looking pot sat, the smell wafting off it enough to make the hungry brothers drool.

Royce set the tray on the table and waved them toward the sturdy chairs, "Please, sit."

The two Elrics sat while Royce moved around the kitchen pulling bowls and silverware from the drawers and cupboards. Edward stared out the cracked door, into the rain washed world beyond.

A mist had gathered just over the ground from the rapidity of the falling rain. The incessant snakes of lightning made the deepening shadows of the garden stark and sharp. Ed's gaze lost focused as he let his mind drift, one hand absently massaging what remained of the thigh of his left leg, while his body leaned forward until his chin nearly rested on the table top; his shoulder certainly kept bumping the edge when he shifted.

Edward started, jerking back so fast that the chair he sat in scraped against the stone floor, when he realized he'd been staring straight into the eyes of a large dun colored dog that was peering through the door. He hadn't heard the click of it's claws or the tread of it's paws on the wood of the porch at all. It was a scruffy creature that looked to be at least partly wolfhound. The dog's semi-long fur was stringy and clumped together, while the mud and wet it had gathered only gave it a further frazzled look. One of the floppy ears was torn and scarred over as though the dog had been in a fight at one point.

Royce turned to see what the noise was about, dark eyes flicking from Ed to the dog at the door. A slight smile marked the man's face, eyes crinkling in pleasure at the sight of the disheveled creature behind his glasses, "Hello Caesar. You'll have to wait a moment, old fellow. I have other guests tonight."

The dog heaved a sigh and sank down to rest on his stomach right there with just his forepaws, and his head resting upon them, within the door.

"You have a dog?" Al asked, sounding faintly surprised.

Royce dished ladles full of the thick soup into three bowls then turned and brought them over to the table, setting one down in front of both Alphonse and Edward. The other he placed near an empty chair. "Caesar doesn't belong to anyone, save himself, but he sticks around often enough. He's good company and keeps the rabbits out of my garden. All he asks for pay is a bit of food."

The dark haired man grabbed another bowl off the counter which neither of the Elrics had given any mind to; it was filled with meat scraps and ham skin. Royce strode over to the door and nudged it open further until it stood wide. The sound of the rain was a constant hiss and splatter as it ran off the eves into puddles and clamored in the muddy garden.

Caesar had stood and backed up as the man came toward him and now stood there with his long, thin, crooked tail swaying back and forth, jaws agape in a doggy smile. Royce squatted down, setting the bowl on the wooden boards of the porch, then reached out to grasp Caesar behind the ears. The man smiled faintly, eyes warm, when the dog's eyes rolled back in his head as Royce scratched his ears.

The brothers watched in silence as the man smoothed the mongrel's scruffy muzzle, not even seeming aware of the fur coming off on his hands, or the mud and water coating his arms from the beast. After a few moments longer Royce finally stood up and reached back inside to grab a towel. Caesar, meanwhile, fell on the bowl of food. Stepping to the edge of the porch Royce held the hand towel out in the rain until it was soaked then used it to clean his hands off. The man draped it over the porch railing and walked back in to join them at the table.

Edward had already made a great start on his food, and Alphonse put more attention to his own now. It was a thick flavored broth with chopped onions in it that a person couldn't even taste. One wouldn't notice if they couldn't see them. The main ingredient appeared to be potatoes that had been chopped up and left to simmer until they practically melted in the broth let alone when in the mouth. Diced bits of ham added a final touch. It was a plain, and simple, but hardy and body warming meal and Al enjoyed it immensely. It reminded him of home, really.

"If you don't mind my asking," Royce began after a few moments of silence. "What are the two of you doing going about alone as you are?"

Alphonse stared down into his soup, stirring the food listlessly with his spoon for a moment before finally saying, "Both of our parents are dead, and most of the people we considered close friends and family we had to leave behind. We've been traveling in search of something... We finally found it recently. I'm not sure what we're going to do next. For now the main plan is to go to London and meet with the man who loaned us the car... after that? Who knows..."

Ed's spoon suddenly clattered loudly against the side of his bowl causing both of them to glance at the golden eyed man in surprise. "I don't see how any of it is any of _your_ business."

Royce looked down so as to not meet the intense and penetrating stare that Edward was drilling him with, "My apologies. You're... You are correct."

Alphonse sat, slack jawed as he stared at his elder brother. While Ed was every bit the Edward he remembered he had certainly left behind a great deal of the childish animosity he had had in his youth. He couldn't understand why it would be reemerging now unless... Al flicked a gaze toward Royce.

Ed stood up and grated out, "Thank you for the meal." That said he limped back toward the front room as he mentally cursed England's god-awful weather with every swear word in his vocabulary.

"I'm sorry." Al said quietly. "I'm going to go have a word with... with my brother."

Royce said nothing as Alphonse stood abruptly and followed after Edward. He found his elder brother standing in front of the fireplace, the light before him turning him into a shadowy silhouette while burnishing him with highlights until he seemed some sort of strange artwork; an artwork meant to show all the meaning in the subtle nuance of light and darkness. Edward had always seemed to embody both of them so well.

"Edward."

Ed's head came up an inch, but he didn't turn. He could tell by the simple fact that Al had used his _name_ that whatever was on his mind was going to be said, and thoroughly so. Alphonse was serious.

"I know you and the Colonel never got along, but that doesn't give you any right to treat Mr. Mustang like this, Brother." Al said softly, his voice loosing some of the edge he'd tried to keep. This was all just such a raw, and aching thing for them that it was hard to hold on to any amount of anger. They were both hurting so much from the idea of giving up their homeland for _good_.

"It's not _that_." Ed said thickly, then paused and swallowed hard. "Toward the end there, we were getting along fine. Maybe not friends, but... we had an _understanding_."

Alphonse held his silence, not really sure what to say to that. He hadn't really been aware that the animosity had changed so much. He did, of course, remember that time that the Colonel had cornered them near Resembool, but other than that...? They'd seemed to be sniping like their usual selves the last time they'd met.

"I... Thinking back on it I can kind of understand even more." Ed's voice was quiet, and tired, and more than a bit self mocking. "I was such a stupid kid..." Shaking his head Ed gave a little laugh. "Anyway, it's not that at all. It's just... I hate _seeing_ this... It's, he's not the man we knew and on an intellectual level I know that, but he looks like him. And it's just hard seeing that man so.. so..."

And, suddenly, Al understood. Royce was so many things the Roy Mustang they knew would never be. He was shy, and unassuming, and while Roy Mustang was polite Royce Mustang was polite to a fault. It was like seeing a proud man brought low and broken. While Mustang had always been something of a pain in the ass to Edward, he'd still admired the man on some level it seemed. Al couldn't blame him. Edward had told him about the Hughes of this world, and he had been in so much shock at the very idea that Hughes could be like that that he'd nearly been sick. While it wasn't _their_ Hughes... it was still_ Hughes_. He suspected it was the same sort of feeling.

"I just can't explain it." Edward finally said, letting out a breath in a heavy sigh. "There's just no putting it into words."

"I know."

Ed turned to look at him then, and Al's heart broke a little at the pained expression on his older brothers face and the haunted look in his eyes. The younger Elric crossed the distance and pulled Ed to him in a comforting embrace. Al rested his cheek against the crown of Ed's head and simply held his brother close.

"I hate seeing these people we should know, and knowing that they aren't who we wish they were. They were family... and now they're lost to us." Ed's voice was muffled and choked.

There were no tears, of course not, Edward was much too strong for that even if Al thought that he should cry if he needed to. That was Ed for you, though; always strong and being strong for everyone else. That didn't change the fact that he felt things just as deeply. Alphonse was actually slightly glad for this little break down. It was good to see Edward finally reacting to it. Al had a feeling he hadn't really let the situation get to him, sink in, for a _very_ long time. Certainly during the first time he'd been as driven and hopeful as ever he was during their search for the Philosopher's stone. This was an entirely different matter.

They'd both had to give up so much, and while they did their best to adjust and make do with what they had... They were allowed to mourn those losses, and regret that they had to _be_ lost as much as they liked. They were only human after all.

"I know, I know, I know." Al breathed the words like a mantra. What else could he say? There was nothing more than that except, "I understand."

Because he did.

It didn't take long for Ed to get himself back under control, after all he was strong and wasn't about to let something like this keep him down for long. Alphonse simply stood there running a hand over Ed's braid until his brother calmed, then stepped back.

"Sorry, Al." Ed grumbled, sounding sheepish and a bit watery.

"Feeling better now?" Al asked, preferring not to comment on the apology or the scene before. He knew from long experience it was best just to move on.

"Yeah. I've been a real ass haven't I?"

Al had to laugh at that. "Only a little. I'm sure Mr. Mustang will understand. He's a nice man."

Ed nodded, "I know..."

"Anyway," Al went on glibly. "I've been meaning to ask you... Is something wrong with your automail I'd noticed you were acting a bit odd earlier..."

"It's just the rain... You know how the wet and cold gets to me sometimes."

Al frowned at Ed, knowing a diversion when he saw one, "I meant your arm."

Heaving a sigh the elder Elric ran a hand through his long bangs, then smoothed his palm over his face. When he looked at Alphonse again his lips were set in a grim line. "It's been catching lately. I think something got knocked loose in the wrist and finger joints when I punched that guy at Glastonbury."

Ed had been so _careful_ about his automail over the last year. They both knew it wouldn't, couldn't, last forever. The wear and tear of life would eventually break it down and he'd have to go back to the faulty prosthetics of this world, but both of them had hoped that maybe they'd last out a bit longer. The last year had been a lot more difficult than they had expected, really.

"We'll figure something out." Al said gently. "We always do. Even if we have to find the best scientist and mechanic in the world and make them work for us somehow."

Edward laughed, and while there was a sharp bitter taste to it there was also a lightness in there somewhere his gaze still met Al's eyes as they glittered with mirth in the firelight, "Of course we will."

"I'm going to go make sure Mr. Mustang doesn't need a hand."

Ed shook his head as he watched his little brother walk off, knowing Al was probably going to apologize for him. He would never understand how Al could put up with him at times.

* * *


	5. ACT I, SECTION IV

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N: **I've only one more chapter before I run out for now, and Act I is complete. I'm afraid you'll have to wait for me to finish writing Act II before I can post more. I've already written a good chapter and a half on Act II though, and I'm going to try to get some more writing on it done today.

I'd also like to point out that I've never been to England in my life, so I have no idea how I'm doing here. As an ignorant American girl, cut my some slack, kay?

* * *

**ACT I: The Doors of Fate Open**

**Section IV**

**words: 4132**

* * *

Royce was just depositing the bowls in the sink basin when Alphonse returned. Al gathered up the tea cups that were still sitting on the table and handed them to the man as he turned around.

"I'm really sorry about Brother."

Royce chuckled sardonically and placed the cups and saucers down beside the bowls. "He doesn't seem to like me much does he?"

Caesar lay just outside the door, blocking the entire threshold with his lanky body. As the dog grumbled in his sleep and shifted his claws scraped over the boards of the porch. The rain continued to pour down in droves and the scent of it and wet earth against the smell of good food in the kitchen created an interesting contrast.

Al paused for a moment, staring out the door at the garden beyond as he tried to formulate a reply for that question. At last he said, "It's not that he doesn't like you it's just that you remind him of someone back home. A very good man who looked after us even when we didn't know it, or didn't think we needed it. Brother and he had a rocky relationship. They always fought and picked at each other, but in the end... I think they respected each other even if only a bit." Al looked up at Royce and smiled a slightly sad smile, "I just don't think Brother knows how to react to you is all."

Royce was silent, his gaze directed down at his hands as he turned a wash rag over and over in them, twisting and plucking at the cloth. When he finally looked up there was a slight smile on his lips. The man dropped the wash rag on the table and headed back towards the front room.

"Why don't you tell me about some of the adventures you've had over the last year. The two of you seem to have had quite the life."

Alphonse laughed, rubbing at the back of his head, "You have no idea..."

As the two came into the front room they found Edward was already curled up on the hearth rug, just as he'd proclaimed, with his back to them. The eldest Elric brother had his black jacket draped over him, pulled up to his chin, and the leather satchel sat near his knees. Ed's eyes were only just barely open as he watched the fire.

Al chuckled and sat down on the sofa while Royce took up position in the armchair again.

"Well..." Al started. "A few days ago we were in Bristol and all of our things were stolen..."

"All of them?" Royce asked, in surprise. He had been wondering why the two didn't seem to have much with them. Just that one satchel...

"All of them. All our cloths, and everything... You see what happened was..."

Edward fell asleep listening to them talk, the drone of quiet voices a soothing balm that washed over and around him like a strange lullaby. He dreamed of the old gypsy woman again.

Edward found himself sitting already rather than standing at the edge of the circle of light like he usually did. The music was distorted as though he were hearing it through water. The dancers looked strange, and he had to squint at them. It was as though they were no longer human, but made of shadow and light. Twisting blobs of elongated darkness that writhed and shifted as though seen through rain spattered glass and the downpour beyond. The warped beat of the drum fit their eerie motions well.

"Alphonse?" He asked, voice cracking with a worry he hadn't known he felt. Al was in there, dancing somewhere among those hideous monsters. These weren't the _Roma. _Something was very wrong.

"Where do you go now?" That crackling lisp of a voice belonged to the old woman and Ed turned to look at her. For a moment she was as normal, as she always was in these strange dream-memories: sharp and in focus and old. The next she was a strange gargoyle made of transparent shadow and hard light, squatting beside him like a toad.

"To the old stone circle." His voice said, but he hadn't meant to say anything. The words didn't make any real sense to him right then. Edward felt lost and adrift.

The strange creature that was an old woman cackled knowingly.

One of the tall shadowy figures detached itself from the others and swayed toward him. A long thin arm reached out and stole his hand from his side. Edward couldn't remember standing as he was tugged toward the circle of creatures swaying like willow fronds around the fire. He tried to pull his hand away, but the creature holding it tugged right back. Much harder than he had pulled.

Ed found himself pitching forward straight for the fire. Then he fell through. He waited for it to burn and clenched his eyes tight shut. Nothing happened, but he could feel the heat on his face and smell hot ash and smoke. He could almost taste it in his mouth. Edward opened his eyes to find himself standing beside a burning building. His childhood home.

He was dressed in vivid red that was turned a bloodshed crimson by the shadow and fire. There was a shadowy giant at his side that Ed knew should have been his brother but wasn't. He tossed the wooden torch in his hand on the fire.

Beyond the circle of light created by the burning house nothing existed. There were no rolling hills or grassy expanses, there was only an eating blackness. Ed looked up expecting, perhaps, to see stars glittering there. There was nothing but a glassy black dome.

An array of glowing white pink light spun out from the top of the black sky and suddenly Edward was standing beside his faceless brother who wore a vivid red coat that looked as if it was bleeding from the flickering light of the array on the ceiling. The Gate was like a glowing golden worm hole at the center of the array; a light that was deception itself despite leading to ultimate truth.

Alphonse pulled at his sleeve and the two of them raced toward the stairs that would lead them higher up. They didn't know how but they had to destroy that thing. Ed skidded to a stop pointing at a bunch of rockets and explosives nearby. He gestured wildly, explaining, but couldn't hear even his own voice. There was no sound.

Al moved toward the small rockets to help him. Ed looked up and his breath caught in his throat. There was that dark gooey substance dripping from the Gate. It formed into a claw and an elongated body, like a dragon or a snake. The ooze at the front of the snub rounded face was wrinkled like an eyelid. A single enormous eye opened, swiveled, and looked down at them. The thin area left below the eye opened with a squelch revealing rows of shark like teeth set in an oozing mouth.

The thing continued to ooze down, body elongating like a worm and never completely leaving the gaping golden glow of the Gate. It braced itself on the balcony above and curved it's neck like a snake or a swan. Black ooze dripped off its body and claws, running down to pool on the ground in an increasing flow.

Edward couldn't understand why Al hadn't noticed it, why he was continuing like it _wasn't there_.

The monster lifted a claw from the balcony and reached out toward them.

Ed shoved forward and found he was yelling, his voice hoarse in desperation, "NO! I won't let you take him again!"

The creature caught him around the middle and the ooze of it's body immediately made his clothing damp and wet his skin. Ed grabbed the immense claw and tried to shove it away but his hands sunk into it. The creature pulled him toward it, and Edward stared wide eyed in horror into that single eye....

And he was eleven again standing in front of the gate for the first time. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think; too scared, too much...

Edward sat bolt upright, lungs heaving as he gasped and clawed for breath. His jacket pooled around him; the ticking of the grandfather clock was the only sound that greeted him. His skin was clammy and his hands graced with a fine trembling as he lifted them to his face. Ed curled in on himself pressing his forearms against his thighs and upraised knees, his hands slid up, through his fringe, to grip at his hair. Fast, shallow breaths shook him and his pulse beat so fast it felt like the entire world was shaking rather than him.

"It was just a dream. Just a dream. A nightmare, but not real." Edward whispered, his voice sounding breathy and ragged to his own ears. The constant senseless ticking of the clock calmed his nerves with its repetitiveness.

Parts of it had certainly been true, had been _memories, _but they'd been twisted and made more horrifying than they had ever been in reality. That one near the end particularly. The Gate had never produced that, that _thing_. Al and he had simply found the rockets and explosives and fired them at the ceiling. It had not only destroyed the array and the ceiling but done considerable damage to the Gate itself before the thing had faded out of visible existence.

Giving a final tug on his hair Ed finally lifted his head and looked around him. The room was cast in almost total darkness as the fire in the hearth was nothing but embers now. Alphonse lay stretched out on the sofa with a thick afghan draped over him. It seemed his little brother was knocked out for the night. Ed squinted at the clock for a moment until he could make out the time. It was nearly one in the morning.

Standing slowly Edward moved over to Al and pulled the afghan up from where it had begun to slip and tucked it more tightly around his little brother. That done he turned and made his way down to the kitchen, navigated around the table and found the door was still standing open. Ed stepped out onto the porch.

The scent of wet vegetation and earth hit him like a wave though it was no longer raining. The sound of water dripping from the roof and the plants all around him almost made it sound like it still was, however. It was almost pitch black out here, but faint light from the few stars showing through the continued cloud cover high lighted the most open patches of the garden with faint blue-silver lining. There was an intensity of peace to the quiet that smoothed away the last lines of worry from his brow.

Edward shoved his hands into his pockets and let the wet scented breeze tousle his bangs with cool fingers. His attention was caught as a blunt head shoved its way through the hedge at the far side of the garden, and shortly there after a rabbit lolloped out into the open. It paused, ears turning as it listened carefully then sat up on its haunches to wash its face. A dun colored blur suddenly shot passed Ed. The movement scared the rabbit into motion and it bolted out through the hedge in a flash. Caesar trotted over to the place it had occupied, found the exit and entry point of the hedge and began to dig at it.

"He's off and away, leave it be." The quiet voice from the nearby shadows nearly scared Edward out of his skin and he glanced over as Caesar left off and trotted back to the porch. The dog dropped his head on Royce's knee. The man smoothed his hands over the mutt's mud spattered face. "Don't usually see them out and about this late, the rain must have kept them underground. That or he was a bold fellow."

The man was sitting on an old worn wooden chair, the shadows so thick it was hard to make him out but for the flash of his glasses and the pale form of the dog.

The angle of Royce's head changed, or at least the flicker of his glasses did, as he turned to regard Edward and asked, "Couldn't sleep?"

Ed turned away to look back out over the garden, "Yeah. Something like that."

"From what your brother said the two of you have lead a hard life." Royce's voice was a wash of strange tones, both sad and curious as if the man wasn't sure he ought to be but couldn't help it.

"You have no idea." Ed said, voice rough as he remembered the dream he'd only just awoken from recently.

"Sometimes it helps to talk things out to a friend. And not just a retelling, but _really_ telling them."

Edward laughed, he couldn't help it. "Do you think we're friends?" he mocked, his voice more harsh than he'd meant it to be.

It seemed, though, that the cloak of night and shadow gave Royce more courage than the man normally had because he gave a slow chuckle that was tinged slightly with a dark loneliness. When he spoke he sounded so much like the Colonel Roy Mustang Ed had known and been so aggravated by that it made Ed's heart pound.

"Sometimes it's easier to tell painful things to perfect strangers."

It was so much like being back in his own world, and yet he knew he wasn't. It was a strangely wonderful, aching, contrast. Ed continued to stare out into the half gloom of the garden and after a moment turned to face the man who so resembled his superior from Amestris.

"Maybe I'll find out some day. Perhaps when you can speak so confidently without the need to hide." Ed said candidly.

Royce laughed, a quiet private sound that made Ed's lips quirk involuntarily. "Perhaps you're right. One must look to ones own faults before speaking to another of theirs, hmm?"

"And then you'll be able to ask me for my story straight out if you still want to know."

* * *

When Edward awoke again watery sunlight was leaking through the windows, tainted just faintly green by the plants that clung around them. He was back on the rug before the hearth, his jacket cocooned around him, though the hearth was empty but for a pile of ash. Ed rolled onto his back and stretched languidly, arms reaching above his head and back arching. A large yawn parted his lips. Lazily he twisted over onto his hands and knees and pushed himself upright. The sofa was empty except for the carefully folded afghan that lay draped over the back.

Taking a moment Ed smoothed the wrinkles from his cloths as best he could, nose wrinkled. He was starting to feel disgusting. It had been a few days since he'd been able to get properly clean. After Bristol he and Al hadn't really had the time to stop and buy new amenities, let alone worry about anything else. Hopefully they'd be able to make it to London soon and meet up with that man again so they could finally see about getting themselves set to rights.

Hearing voices and sounds echoing up from the kitchen area Ed wandered down that way to find his younger brother sitting at the table, waving a knife around as he sliced up honeydew. Royce stood off to the side leaning against the counter by the sink while he peeled and sliced apples. They both looked rough; Al was as rumpled and in need of a clean as he was and Royce looked like he'd slept in his cloths and then just tossed a bathrobe on. And in even more need of a shave.

"Bathroom?" Ed croaked.

Royce gave him an amused look over the glasses sliding down his nose and pointed his knife back toward the front room, "Back that way, down the hall. Last door before the stairs."

"Thank you." Ed wished he didn't sound like he had a frog stuck in his throat but decided not to worry about it. Instead he focused his sleepy mind on shuffling back to the front room and down the hall. Ignoring the narrow, steep stairs he slipped into the cramped bathroom.

It seemed to be mostly occupied by a large claw foot bath tub with the toilet and sink crammed into a corner. After relieving himself to the immense happiness of his bladder Ed turned toward the sink and immediately paused. Wrinkling his nose he gave his hair a critical look. Not only was it in need of a brushing, but it needed a wash badly; it was starting to look lank and greasy. Grimacing Ed gave his hands a thorough scrub, then splashed water over his face to wake himself up the rest of the way. Pausing for a moment he took a mouthful of water and swished it between his teeth before spitting it out. Not as good as a thorough brushing but at least his mouth didn't taste as foul as before.

As ready as he could get to face the day Ed headed back to the kitchen. Al was still talking, apparently entertaining Royce with the story of how the two brothers had made it from Germany to the UK. The thought made Ed grimace again in remembrance. It hadn't exactly been a fun time.

Edward slumped down in the same chair he'd sat in the night before and let his head hit the table. Alphonse laughed cheerfully at him.

"I hate how you're always so happy in the morning." Ed growled, voice muffled.

"It's because I'm a morning person, dear Brother." Al chirped and shoved a bowl filled with sliced and diced fruits in front of Ed until the bowl nudged the elder Elric's head.

Ed turned his head enough to see the bowl then slowly propped himself up and snagged the nearby fork. Spearing a bit of honeydew he shoved it in his mouth and chewed slowly.

"I'm afraid I don't have much else. I need to do some shopping." Royce mused as he eyed a slice of apple he'd speared with the tip of the knife he'd been using to cut them. "I usually just go into Havoc's for breakfast or, if I skip that, lunch."

"Nothing wrong with fruit." Alphonse laughed. "If you don't mind me asking, Mr. Mustang, what is it you do?"

Royce blinked over his glasses them then shrugged a bit sheepishly, "I'm a scholar. I have particular interest in history and where it intersects with Mythology and Folklore."

"You live here because of Stonehenge don't you?" Edward piped up, giving the dark haired man a shewed look. Royce coughed lightly and popped the apple slice in his mouth rather than answer the obvious question. "Al wanted to go see Stonehenge before we left the area."

"The two of you picked a good time to visit." Royce commented. The man took a moment to set the knife aside and move to sit at the table. He gestured widely with the slice of apple he was currently holding between thumb and pointer finger. "It's the summer solstice today and many people believe it's a most mystical time when the Veil between our world and the next is thinnest. Many of us are trying to get the site sanctioned to be preserved. It is an important historical monument after all. There was also a great deal of restoration work going on at the monument itself a few years ago. It's slowed down a bit since due to general unrest, but many people are interested in seeing it continue."

"You're pretty passionate about this aren't you?" Alphonse laughed.

Royce coughed, looking sheepish again but didn't bother to deny or defend himself on the matter.

"This world and the next?" Ed asked, eyes narrowing. It brought his mind back to something that one guy back on Glastonbury Tor had said. He'd been babbling about it being too _thin_ and how they'd come through to kill them. Edward hadn't really contemplated it at the time, but now he wondered...

"Common Folklore states that in Ireland a race of fairies, or elves as some prefer, called the Sidhe, often the Fair Folk, were defeated in the distant past and retreated to an underground realm that coincides with our own. Commonly the easiest access to this realm is through the hills and tors of the area under which the fair folk dwell. However, tales say that people have been known to slip sideways into this parallel world, or that the creatures of that world will slip into ours where the veil between the worlds is particularly thin. Solstices and equinoxes are supposedly particularly good for that sort of thing. Those of paranormal interest also think this other world could have something to do with ghosts and such like."

The two Elrics stared at Royce. That was the most they'd heard the man say the entire time they'd known him.

"I had wondered.." Al said after getting over the shock. "What they were talking about in Glastonbury."

Royce perked up, sitting forward and resting his forearms on the table. "The two of you visited Glastonbury? Did you go up the Tor?"

Alphonse looked at Ed, Edward looked at Al. It was a force of will to keep from laughing right then and Ed quickly twisted away and practically buried his face in the bowl of fruit. Al rolled his eyes upward a peculiar smile on his face. His hand drifted up to cup the side of his neck.

"Uhm, yes, but it wasn't a usual tourist experience. We didn't stay long."

Edward snorted and then coughed as a bit of honeydew lodged somewhere in his larynx. Alphonse thumped his back. Royce looked on in confusion.

Shaking his head and taking the brothers odd behavior as given Royce said, "Glastonbury Tor is a spot thought to be particularly _thin_. Some have speculated that it might be related to the mythical island of Avalon, and may have the Holy Grail hidden there, or had it there at one point or another anyway."

Ed tensed up. Those words struck a chord in him as he recalled that dream he'd had. He hadn't known any of this information back then so how... More and more this whole thing was starting to bother him, and he didn't exactly know what to think of any of it. It could simply be coincidence, or maybe he'd read about this before. Maybe he'd heard about it. It wasn't like that was unheard of. Even if he often did have a memory and mind like a sponge he could forget things.

Breakfast eaten, the three dumped their bowls and silverware in with the stuff from last night then Royce disappeared upstairs. The man returned a short while later to find the two brothers talking quietly. They immediately glanced up when he came into the room. The rumpled cloths had been traded in and the dark haired man's hair was wet though he didn't bother to shave.

"Let's go have a look in the shed. I'm pretty sure there's a tire in there somewhere. Mr. Falman, the man who owns the land around here, sometimes stores things there since I don't need most of the space."

The two Elric's exchanged glances again. It certainly seemed like this was an odd sort of gathering point for this grouping of familiar faces. It appeared most, if not all, of Mustang's team were here and knew the Mustang of this world. They couldn't help but wonder if they were as close as they were in Amestris. Maybe some things just didn't change...

"And this Mr. Falman won't mind?" Al asked, curiously as he and Ed followed Royce toward the front door.

"Not at all. I doubt he'd find fault with helping someone out. Quiet man, but a good one."

Royce pulled on the same long black coat they'd seen him wearing the day before at the cafe. While it had gotten almost muggy yesterday after the chill of early morning today wasn't promising anything of the kind. The Elrics shrugged on their own coats and followed the man out the door.

* * *


	6. ACT I, SECTION V

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

* * *

**ACT I: The Doors of Fate Open**

**Section V**

**words: 3537**

* * *

The sky above was an overcast gray with the sun peeping through the clouds in watery but defiant rays. Small holes in the cloud cover gave a view of blue sky for only a few seconds at a time before the clouds rushed on, filling them in. Edward and Alphonse paused to pull on their boots before following Royce across the yard toward the shed. The muddy ground squelched beneath their feet with each step, leaving a soup of crushed grass and churned soil behind them. The smell of earth worms, soil, and wet grass was heavy on the air and only thickened by the morass of floral smells that came off the wet plants in the flower bed.

As they crossed toward the shed Caesar came trotting around the side of the house in a long legged gait and trounced over to Royce's side. The dog's long thin tail swaying in listless arcs was kinked near the middle like it had been broken once. Royce tugged open the large doors of the shed and allowed the two brothers to see in. It was filled with a jumble of things from disused furniture to gardening tools, and boxes of things a person could only guess at. To one side near the entrance a bicycle rested against the wall, a sort of stiff leather and cloth satchel attached to it. It seemed in good condition and was presumably Royce's main mode of transportation.

Caesar raced passed them with a couple short, sharp barks that sent several Jackdaws, that had been pecking about in the yard, into the air in a squawling, scolding mass before trotting back over to sit at Royce's side. Royce absently scratched the mutt between the ears as he peered into the vague gloom of the shed.

"I'm pretty sure there's one in there..."

Ed and Al exchanged looks and pulled their coats off again before hanging them on a couple convenient nails. Royce chuckled, and followed suit. Soon the three of them were lost among the odds and ends cluttering the place whilst Caesar lay in the open door with an old boot he'd retrieved from somewhere.

They eventually found it, half buried in a back corner but there all the same. Ed rolled the narrow wheel to the front and left it leaning against the wall before helping Al and Royce set things back into some sort of order. As the three returned they found Caesar sniffing the tire. The dog lifted his head, jaws agape and tongue dangling, to gaze dolefully at them as his crooked tail flopped from side to side.

The day had continued to stay cloudy, and even drizzle off and on, so the it was still a bit nippy. A stiff breeze had picked up at some point making it even more noticeable.

"How about some lunch before we go see about fixing that flat of yours?" Royce proposed.

"Sounds wonderful." Alphonse agreed from where he was fetching his and Ed's coats.

"I've been told I'm a bottomless pit." Ed joked, catching his coat as Al tossed it at him.

Royce laughed lightly and headed toward the house, "You two wait here and I'll be back with something in a bit."

While they waited Alphonse sat down on a wooden crate that contained who knew what, eyes on his elder brother where Ed stood in the doorway leaning against one wall. Caesar trundled over to Ed's side, a rather chewed stick covered in mud and bits of grass held in his jaws. The solemn looking dog blinked up at Ed, tail flopping from in a circular sort of wag.

Edward blinked down at the scruffy mutt then took the stick from him and tossed it out into the light drizzle. Caesar took off after it in a whirl of mud that surprised a laugh from Ed.

Alphonse grinned as he watched the dog jauntily trot back toward them, stick in mouth, and spoke up, "We should come back and visit sometime."

Taking the stick from Caesar Ed tossed it again and remarked, "Yeah, he's not so bad a guy. Not as big a bastard as..." The blond let it trail off with a shrug and Al chuckled.

"And you're the one who didn't like him because he was so different."

"It was just the shock." Ed growled.

Caesar eventually tired of the game and lay back down in the entryway where he braced the stick between his front paws and began to pull it apart. Royce returned a moment later with a plate of sandwiches and glasses of water. The three of them ate in silence.

Royce tossed the last bit of his sandwich to Caesar who snatched it out of the air and swallowed the mouthful whole. Standing he grabbed and donned his coat before turning to the two Elrics, "Ready to go?"

Ed stood and dusted his hands off on his pants, ignoring Caesar as the dog sniffed noisily for crumbs, "Yeah. Hey, Al? Could you get the...?"

Alphonse bounced up with a grin, "Sure thing, Brother!"

As Al hurried off Ed moved over and hefted the narrow tire with his automail, and at Royce's raised brow grunted, "I'm stronger than I look."

The two waited at the edge of the property, just beyond the hedges and gate, and after a moment Al came trotting toward them with the leather satchel slung on.

Royce turned to Caesar as the two brothers set off down the road, "Stay. I'll be back later."

The walk back was much as the walk there, the three exchanging meaningless words until the car came into view. Alphonse and Edward traded tire and satchel, and while Al set about changing the flat tire for the replacement Royce helped Ed put the canvas roof down again. The interior had, luckily, stayed more or less completely dry.

"All done!" Alphonse chirped happily. Turning to Royce he asked, "Would you like to visit Stonehenge with us? We'll have to come back this way to head toward London so we can drop you back home afterward."

Royce grinned, "I'd love to."

Ed climbed up onto the running board and deposited the satchel on the floor between the front and back seat before swinging himself nimbly into the back. Within moments he was sprawled all across it, hands folded behind his head and heels propped on the side of the car. Alphonse rolled his eyes and climbed into the driver's seat while Royce took the passengers.

"Are you ever going to take your turn driving?" Al taunted.

"Pfft." Huffed Ed, followed by a snicker. "Why should I when you can cart me around?"

The elder Elric let his eyes fall closed and enjoyed the ride, as bouncy and uncomfortable as it was. He could hear Royce's voice as he told Alphonse more information on Stonehenge and various other things. Apparently his brother was interested in that sort of thing. Edward hadn't really notice, but then it hadn't really come up before.

He must have dozed off because he was suddenly standing in an immense white emptiness. Slowly Ed turned and there was the Gate, but not as he recalled it from his memories. The twisted dark monoliths of it's supporting pillars with their distorted carvings of humanoid beings was no longer intact. In fact, a great deal of it lay in crumbled heaps on the ground and one of the two doors hung ajar and half open so that the seething blackness within was visible.

Sharp eyes watched him hungrily.

"What?" Ed rasped. He couldn't understand what was going on.

The world was tipping and he stared down at the Gate. Through it he could glimpse something. Edward narrowed his eyes, peering closer. It looked like a war torn battle field all brown and gray and black hues, explosions painting it red and orange in blooming points like perverse flowers. Men fell, and screamed, and bled. He was floating there above it, forced to gaze onto that horrifying scene and Ed tried to pull himself away but he couldn't. And then he was falling toward it, unable to scream or make any sound. His voice was a lump in his throat. He tried to twist away and couldn't.... The Gate rushed up to meet him and--

Ed was jolted out of the strange dream as Al pulled the car over to the verge of the road and hopped out. Ed sat up and gazed out over the surrounding area as he tried to get his breathing under control. Damn the nightmares.

Stonehenge loomed nearby, an array of vertical and horizontal stones of an amazing size set amongst short grass. Off in the distance the horizon stretched, blotted and broken by a few stands of trees here and there. Once Royce and Alphonse were out of the way Edward slung himself over the back of the front seat and shimmied out to stand on the ground, leaning back with his elbows resting against the seat behind him.

Royce and Alphonse were well out into the green field toward Stonehenge when Al noticed that Ed wasn't with them. The younger Elric turned and waved his hand through the air, "Come on, Brother!"

Heaving a sigh Ed hollered back, "Yeah, yeah I'm coming!"

Turning around Ed snatched the satchel with the bomb from where he'd stored it earlier and pulled the strap over one shoulder before hopping down and following after the other two. The closer he got to the massive slabs of stone the weirder he felt. It was almost like an alchemical charge, but latent and quiet. It made the hair at the nape of his neck and down the length of his flesh arm prickle and stand on end. Neither Royce nor Alphonse seemed to notice it though.

Royce had stopped out beyond the stones on the green open area while Alphonse headed on up to the monolithic things. Despite himself Ed drifted after his younger brother. He couldn't imagine how Al wasn't noticing the strange feeling, nor why his hair wasn't standing on end like there was an electric current rushing through him. As soon as Edward stepped past the boundaries of the circle his breath caught in his throat. It was almost like stepping into some strange bubble.

Alphonse was meandering amongst the stones looking awe struck, and while Ed couldn't blame him, he couldn't shake the weird feeling coursing through him.

Edward drifted around the stones, head turning this way and that as if in chase of an elusive whisper. His were eyes narrowed down to a squinting glare while his lips tugged into a frown. Something was nagging at him, tugging at him, and telling him he ought to know what was bothering him. Slowly he drifted into the central area of the circle and leaned back against one of the massive downed stones. Resting his flesh hand against the nearby corner his hand suddenly slipped and the material of his glove tore. The stone cut into the palm of his hand deep enough that blood welled out and stained the pale stone.

Edward jerked away from it with a slight yelp of surprised pain. He hadn't been expecting the damn rock to cut him like that!

"Brother?" Al's voice broke through and Ed looked up as his younger brother trotted over to join him. "Did something happen?"

Ed shook his head and laughed, "Nothing I just cut myself on a sharp edge, that's--"

Edward's breath hiccuped in his throat as a low thrumming pulsed through the air and the ground beneath their feet. Wide eyed he gazed at Alphonse wondering, hoping, that he had felt it to; that he wasn't just loosing his mind. Judging by the sudden surprised look on Al's face he _had_ felt it.

Both brothers glanced down and watched in breathless shock and awe as a white glowing array spun out from beneath their feet. Each whorl, symbol, and line burned with white light as the charge spilled out like a ripple to brush the edges of the large circle. The stones of the ancient monument began to accumulate a glow from the base up. Each lighting in a slow clockwise fashion and spiraling inward until they were all lit like beacons. Even the ones still laying on the ground began to glow with an inner light.

Looking toward the edge of the circle Edward could see Royce, beyond the glow, staring in shock with his hand upraised against the glare. The sky above Stonehenge cleared in a strangely symmetrical circle until blue sky gleamed above them. The wind picked up bringing with it droplets of rain that spattered the brothers' faces. They were frozen in place, unable to move.

The humming grew louder until it seemed to be less power and more an actual tune. It was almost as if the stones and the earth itself were creating some strange music, ringing like tuning forks. Sparks of light ghosted out of the ground; glowing specters that trailed soap bubble brilliance like comet tails.

The strange orbs twined all around them, _through_ them. They rose into the air, marked the edge of the circle, flowed around the two brothers and each other almost like they were dancing. Their movements were slow, purposeful, and unhurried as though time were meaningless to them.

Edward could swear he could hear voices whispering, and chanting, and singing all around them.

"Brother..." Alphonse's voice sounded horrified.

Ed looked at his sibling to see that Al was nearly completely _transparent_. With a glance down he found he, to, was fading.

The glow was almost blindingly bright now. Then there was silence and Ed's entire world was white; it rushed by him, taking him somewhere. He noticed that he was alone.

Out of the white world the Gate loomed up abruptly. Ed felt himself stumble at the abrupt halt the perceived movement. His entire body went mind numbingly, bone chillingly cold as he stared at it. This wasn't some dream, but it was as twisted and broken as it had been in that dream not so long ago.

Part of him felt satisfaction that they had managed to do that much damage to it.

"You'll never learn when to stop playing God will you?" The voice was multitudes and singularity all in one; so harsh on his human hearing that Edward felt sure that his ears must be bleeding.

"What the hell do you want? Can't you just leave us alone!" Ed snarled, not even caring that his voice was cracking in angry desperation. Looking around he felt panic swell in him. Where was Alphonse? "_Alphonse?!"_

"But I've been waiting for so long. I simply want what's best..."

Ed whirled to face the Gate again as his search for his brother proved fruitless. There kneeling before it was some strange humanoid being made of a light more white than the endless blankness around it. It was like seeing snow against snow and realizing some was more pure than the other. It hurt to look at it.

"What's best? For who?!" Ed snarled, taking a step forward. "We did what was best for both worlds by destroy the connection. And maybe it wasn't what we have wanted but we're trying to make the best of it!"

The Gate laughed and Edward clapped his hands over his ears. It took all he was not to scream. He could not block the voice for the voice was all around and in him.

"Wretched, ephemeral race, children of chance and tribulation, why do you force me to tell you the very thing which it would be most profitable for you not to hear? The very best thing is utterly beyond your reach: not to have been born, not to be, to be nothing. However, the second best thing for you is: to die soon."

"What do you know!" He was screeching now and didn't care.

"I know a great deal." The Gate said darkly. "As you are well aware."

"Are you going to kill us then?!"

"Of course not. I'm simply putting you back where you belong. You are throwing off the balance and that can not be rectified until you are where you are supposed to be."

Edward bulked. "What's the catch? There's always a catch!"

The Gate laughed again, and this time Ed really did scream. He dropped heavily to his knees as the Gate, and the light being, loomed above him. The strange being stood arms spread as it grinned at him with a mouth full of teeth it shouldn't have been able to possess.

"Look at what you have wrought by playing God, Edward Elric. Will you never learn a lesson that has taken so much from you? Perhaps this time you will learn it truly."

"I wasn't playing God! I did what I had to! To save everyone!" Ed snarled through a pain that felt as though it were rending his skull in two.

"Did you not, Edward Elric? Did you not make the choice for thousands of people? Did you not choose that the fate of two worlds was yours to decide?"

"I couldn't just leave it, could I?! I couldn't just stand by in let them... let them _die!_"

The Gate was silent for a moment then proposed in an eerily persuasive voice, like a snake hissing in a persons ear. "You could even say that it's you who caused it, couldn't you?"

"_What?_" Ed croaked. He was completely at a loss. What the hell was that thing talking about? "_No!_ How could I have caused any of this?"

"Well..." The Gate's voice said silkily, though it still grated across the surface of Ed's brain like sandpaper. "Without you who would have given them the tools to work with?"

"They had that old bastard! My _father!_"

"It remains your meddling, your playing _at being God_ that resulted in your being here all the same. Silly little mortal."

"How can you place this on me!" Ed screamed, slashing his hand roughly through the air. "I'm not the only one at fault here!"

"Perhaps. But you are the only one left to answer, Edward Elric, and answer you shall. And remember I am _Truth_."

"The truth isn't set." Ed hissed. "It changes from person to person. _There is no one truth!_"

"You agree, though, that it was _your_ choice that did this?" the strange avatar of the Gate indicated the broken remains of the eerie structure behind it.

"_Yes_." Edward gritted through clenched teeth. "And I'd do it again if I had to."

The being bared those strange _teeth_ in an impossible creepy facsimile of a smile, almost as if those words had been exactly what it wanted to hear. "Then you accept responsibility for the consequences."

Ed nearly screamed in frustration, so tired was he of the Gate's vague words and cryptic taunts. "What are you talking about?!"

The Gate laughed again, as if to mock the futility of Ed's arguments and Ed clasped his hands to his ears once more, wishing for it to be over. He was so busy screaming in pain that he almost missed the Gate's last words.

"Come, look what you have created! Revel in the consequences of your choices."

Stringy black arms shot from the partially open Gate and wrapped dark fingers around him like steel bands. Edward screamed again, pulling at them and trying to force them to let go. They would not relent as he was dragged toward the waiting, gaping maw of the Gate.

The world went black.

The strange spirits, or fireflies, or lights: Whatever they were that circled among Stonehenge had created a sort of reversed tornado, wide where they left the circle and narrowing to a point up in the sky. The entire thing was turning in a clockwise fashion.

Royce ducked his head and closed his eyes tight behind the upraised shield of his arm as the glow reached a sun bright glow, sending lances of brilliance out like the streamers of that very celestial body. The humming of the stones reached a crescendo.

Then with a strange _whumph, _a sound that wasn't really a sound at all but more like air being displaced or replaced,the lights that lit Stonehenge went dark in a single moment. An outpouring of air from around the monument rushed outward and sent Royce's jacket flapping about behind him before it settled. The rain scented breeze of before returned. Tiny, glittering specks of light fell as placidly as snowfall to the ground fading even as they touched the surface of the earth.

When Royce opened his eyes again the man stared in staggered awe at the empty stone circle... and wondered.

Just who, or what, had he hosted in his home?

* * *

**ACT I: Complete**

* * *

All right, so... here we are at the end of Act I, which is more like a really long Prologue than anything else, and I'm leaving you with a grand old cliffy. I'd apologize, but I don't really feel apologetic.

As it is I have plans to take a great deal of time over the next week + to do a LOT of writing. So it hopefully won't take me _too _long to get Act II written. I'm not really sure because there's a lot planned for it, and I have a feeling its going to end up pretty long. Most definitely longer than Act I in any case.

So I'll either start Updating again once I'm either A) finished with Act II or B) have written enough of it to feel comfortable Updating. I hope to see those of you who have read thus far still here when that time comes.

Until then!

Oh, I forgot...

_"Wretched, ephemeral race, children of chance and tribulation, why do you force me to tell you the very thing which it would be most profitable for you not to hear? The very best thing is utterly beyond your reach: not to have been born, not to be, to be nothing. However, the second best thing for you is: to die soon."_ - Aristotle

* * *


	7. ACT II, SECTION I

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N: **Okay, so... Since I love my readers I've decided on a system. Everytime I finish two chapters I'll post one. So... here's the first chapter of Act II. Please enjoy, and do remember that feedback feeds my soul.

* * *

"_How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back. There are some things that time can not mend. Some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold."_

_- Lord of the Rings_

* * *

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section I**

**words: 3712**

* * *

Edward opened his eyes. Above him the sky was the underside of a blue bowl filled with lazy cotton clouds. Long stalks of grass arched up around him and red petaled wild flowers bobbed their heads as though their stalks were overburdened. Everything fuzzed and went hazy around the edges as his eyes tried to focus several times without success. Crushed grass prickled the back of his neck, and stirred his hair in a way that both tickled and itched. It was like being surrounded by a cradle of nature. Ed was unable to see anything around him but grass, flowers, and sky.

Embraced by a sleepy lassitude Edward slowly lifted his automail hand and flexed the fingers. He could hear the faint clink of the joints turning, could see the slight hitch just before they closed completely that signified the degradation he'd noted yesterday. Ed pulled his flesh hand up to paw at his face, digging the knuckles into his eyes. When he pulled his hand away again he could focus much better. A white winged butterfly traveled the air current just above him, fluttering a small circle before landing on the blossom of a flower wavering near his hip.

Had he died? But, no. The Gate had said it wasn't going to kill them. _Him._

A sudden cold feeling of panic and horror swamped him. Where was Alphonse? Had that _thing_ taken him again? For good this time? Or had Alphonse been left behind...

Ed sat up in a rush, the grass shifting in wild restlessness as his movements jostled it. The butterfly was startled into flight.

"_Alphonse?!_" his voice left him in a hoarse croak that faded into the stillness, the silence, almost as fast as he'd uttered it.

His heart thudded painfully in his chest while his throat tightened around a lump. Terror constricted his lungs until his breathing became shallow. The muscles in his neck were so tight he was afraid that if he even tried to turn his head it would pull something loose.

"_AL?!"_

"Bro... ther?"

The word was broken, quiet, and with a disjointed sleepy quality to it, but it had also just come from his left. Edward threw himself around and crawled through the grass. He ignored the way the stalks whipped him in the face and caught on his jacket in his single minded pursuit of his little brother. It was only a few feet before he broke through into another depression made by a human body. Al lay there, prone and spread eagle like part of Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, and much as how Edward had woken to find himself positioned. Edward let out a relieved laugh as he watched Al's nose wrinkle, brows knitting, before his eyes cracked open.

Alphonse gave a little groan at the light from above and Edward shifted around until he was looming over Al in the perfect position, his shadow cast over the younger blond's face. Al blinked his eyes open again, squinting at Ed until he came into focus.

The younger Elric brought a hand up and rubbed it over his face before bracing his other on the ground and slowly pushing himself up. Torn bits of grass clung to Al's sandy hair, Ed was pretty sure he didn't look much better, but the sight still made him laugh again.

Edward reached out and pulled a bit of grass from Al's bangs. Alphonse blinked at him, then turned to look at their surroundings. Ed sat back on his knees, palms on his thighs, and looked to.

They were surrounded by rolling hills and plains that were sprinkled with copses of trees of both the deciduous and coniferous variety. They appeared to have landed, so to speak, halfway up one of the hills. The longer they looked the more certain the Elric brothers became that they _knew_ this place, and not just in a vague way. It seemed much more personal. Ed and Al exchanged glances, not needing to speak to communicate. Almost as soon as their eyes met they had thrown themselves around and were scrambling up the hill on hands and feet until they managed to push themselves fully upright and sprint the rest of the way.

Ed stumbled slightly as they crested the rise, and Alphonse froze next to him staring in wide eyed wonder. There, only a few rises away was a hill on which the twisted remains of a fire blackened tree stood stark against the milky blue-white of the horizon. The breeze ruffled their hair and cloths bringing with it the familiar scents of the countryside they'd grown up in. The two brothers could do nothing but gaze in disbelieving awe and let it dawn on them slowly. Then, suddenly, Alphonse punched his fist in the air and let out a whoop of victorious glee. Edward stared long and hard. He had never expected... Not even after what the Gate had said but...

Ed's face physically _ached_ from how widely he was smiling, and when Al tackled him into a tight hug grinning from ear to ear Edward returned it just as frantically.

They were _home_.

"--believe it. We're home! We're _home_, Brother! Pinako and Winry are going to be so excited!" Alphonse had apparently been babbling for some time. Edward tuned in a bit late. Still he understood exactly what his brother was saying.

Reaching up Ed ruffled Al's hair roughly until his little brother batted at him, still laughing with glee despite his attempts to look annoyed. Alphonse stepped away from him, grinning in wild delight down at the familiar countryside.

Another breeze picked up to pluck at their hair, sending it swaying, tickling, against their cheeks and necks. Edward's face suddenly turned solemn, his eyes narrowing against the glare of sunlight. A frown replaced the jubilant smile from seconds before and he looked over at Alphonse in time to watch the euphoria slowly melt off of Al's face. Sadness haloed his little brother's features as, for another moment, they were in accord.

Still, Ed vocalized what they both were thinking. "We should..." He stopped, swallowing against the lump in his throat, the knot in his chest that never lessened over time. "We should go visit mom first."

Alphonse sucked in a deep, steadying breath and nodded his agreement, "It's... been a long time."

Edward watched Al start down the slope of the hill and took a step forward to follow him when something hit him, "Shit!"

The younger Elric whipped around, wide eyed and alarmed, to see what was the matter. He only found Ed standing there, face screwed up in confusion and his automail hand, gloved though it was, tugging at his bangs.

"Brother?" Al queried as he trotted back up the slope. Stopping a few feet from Ed he leaned forward and tilted his head to look up into Ed's down turned face.

With a final tug at his golden hair Ed whipped around and began walking back toward where they had first woken up. "The bomb!" He snarled, tossing his hands up in the air in what Al thought was a needlessly dramatic gesture.

Then again it was that _bomb_. The one they'd just spent the last _year_ of their life searching for. Alphonse sprinted down to join Ed, nearly tripping and taking a tumble down the hillside. The two began to search the grass around the two indentations they'd formed in the lush stalks.

The two combed the area carefully, working in a zigzag pattern with Ed going one direction and Alphonse going the other. In the end they checked pretty much the entire hillside and part of the stretch at it's base. All Al had to show for it was some rather pretty wild flowers he'd collected to take to their mother's grave. The two brother's collapsed next to each other at the crest of the hill and stared down at the area they'd just checked over with a fine tooth comb. Al cradled the bouquet of flowers between his chest and upraised knees, looking glum.

"Maybe it didn't come with us." He opined. If that was the case then there wasn't much they could do about it...

"No. I still had it with me when I was pulled through the damned Gate." Edward growled as he dug the heels of his palms into his eyes and groaned before flopping back and letting his arms fall to his sides. His closed eyelids were turned red by the sunlight.

"... You were pulled through the Gate?" Al twisted around to look at his elder brother and reached out to brace his forearm on Ed's upraised knee for support in the slightly awkward position.

Ed cracked open one golden eye just a slit, "Weren't you?"

He couldn't really fathom how Alphonse was _surprised_. After all, they were here weren't they? That was how it worked, one went through the Gate, if lucky enough to survive, and ended up on the other side in whichever world was waiting.

"No. Well, yes... I suppose technically I was but, Brother... I never _saw_ the Gate."

Edward shifted, bring his arms in so he could brace his elbows on the ground and lift his torso. His head tilted forward, chin knocking against his collarbone as he regarded Alphonse thoughtfully. Inwardly he was feeling highly disconcerted and just a bit stunned. Maybe the Gate really _had_ decided to just kill them. Or maybe it had tossed them into some strange perpetuity. Like some twisted form of limbo where they were eternally where they wanted to be the most, but could never fully have it.

"What do you remember?" Ed asked at last, pressing down the nausea inducing thoughts with sheer iron will.

"Uhm..." Al tilted his head and pressed the pointer finger of one hand over his lips thoughtfully. "Last thing I remember is Stonehenge. You got cut, and then that massive array flared up." Al turned back to stare at Ed with wide eyes, his voice squeaked when he spoke, "You were _fading away_! We both were!"

Nudging Al slightly to get him to stop leaning on him Ed sat up and shifted into a cross legged position. Propping his elbows on his thighs Ed brought his hands up to both support his head and cover his eyes.

Shrewd as ever Al accused, "You encountered the Gate again didn't you."

Ed grunted, not wanting to answer that question _at all_. In fact he was quite set on ignoring Alphonse and hopping that his younger brother would just let it go. At least, he was until something tickled his ear.

Jerking back and to the side to get away from whatever it was, Ed brought his head around and gaped. Al had just tickled his ear with the stem of one of his damn flowers! Alphonse blinked innocently at Ed with the plant in question held aloft, balanced carefully between thumb and fore finger while the vivid red bloom bobbed on the far end.

"What the hell? Al!"

"Yes, Brother?"

While the look on Al's face remained pure innocence to match his tone of voice, inwardly he was snickering at the way Ed was gaping at him; his mouth working like a landed fish. It was almost like someone had dared smack him in the face with a bouquet of daisies then proceeded to do a jig around him, tossing said daisies over him. Despite the seriousness of their conversation that look alone was priceless.

"What did you do that for?" Ed yelped, pawing at his ear as if the sensation still remained. That action alone made Al loose his innocent facade in favor of a smug smile. Ed glared. "Don't look at me like that. That look doesn't suit you at all."

"Of course, Brother." Al chirped. "Now are you going to talk to me willingly or do I have to torture it out of you?"

"AL!"

Ed sounded so scandalized that it surprised a laugh from Alphonse and he wasn't fast enough to hide his grin, "Torture it is!"

As Al came toward him with the flower Ed leaned back, and eventually began to scramble backwards like a crab much to his younger brother's amusement. Al carefully set aside the bundle of flowers he'd picked and crawled after Edward with a mischievous grin on his face.

"No." Edward said, attempting to go for forceful and stern. He failed miserably. "Knock it off Al."

"Brother, Brother, Brother." Al tsked sadly. "You brought this on yourself."

Ed lifted his hand to wag a finger at his brother when Alphonse continued to advance, this however was a poor idea as he soon found. Al took advantage of his brother's inability to continue his backward scramble and pounced. Ed shrieked as the flower stem was once more used to tickle the shell of his ear.

Wriggling and squirming in an attempt to get his head away from evil flower and the hellion wielding it, Ed thrashed his head, mashing the grass he was sprawled out on.

"Al! Al! Stoppit, Al!"

Al paused, half laying on Ed's torso to pin him down. Grinning just a bit wickedly, in a way Ed just _knew_ he had picked up from him, Al asked, "Are you going to talk to me now?"

"You're a horrible, annoying, obnoxious brother."

"I learned from the best." Al beamed.

Edward laughed, a hard laugh that made his entire body shake. Al grinned. It was always a wonderful thing to see Ed laughing, lightening up. Alphonse always wished it could happen more often. Ed had been so _serious_ back on Earth. Always wary, and expecting things to happen. The relaxed moments over the last year had been few and far between. Al just wished, hoped, that some day Ed would be able to relax entirely. Now, maybe that day wasn't far off.

The elder Elric settled back and folded his hands under his head. Alphonse shifted around to lay on his back, using Ed's midriff as a pillow. The two brothers watched the lazy white clouds drift across the sky for some time. Al rolled the flower between his fingers, making it spin.

"I didn't just _see_ the Gate." Ed said quietly. "It _spoke_ to me."

Alphonse shifted his head to look up at his brother's pensive face. Ed's eyes were trained on the sky behind heavy lids, but he could still see the shift of golden irises as they darted about, flicking over the images the clouds formed at the whim of the wind. The flower stilled in his fingers and Al let his hand fall to his side.

"What did it say?"

Maybe someone else would have questioned Edward's sanity, but Al didn't. If Ed said that thing had spoken with him then it probably had. Though if Ed had told him it invited him to tea... Well, that was another matter entirely.

Edward's face twisted up, grasping after the memory like an elusive dream. "It made it out like there was something _wrong_ here. Like when we destroyed the connection, and damaged the Gate itself, there was some fall out."

He didn't want to tell Al that the Gate had laid the blame at his feet, or that the Gate wanted him to fix it apparently. Or, at least, that's what the damned thing had hinted at. Ed could well remember the look of desperate guilt that Al had worn during the invasion when he realized what his activating that Array had done. There was no reason to put that look back on Al's face.

Al breathed out slowly and relaxed against him, "It can't be anything bad." He said optimistically. "I mean... everything seems fine so far."

"I hope you're right, Al." Ed murmured. He really did. While part of him was still fully denying everything the Gate had implied (it wasn't his fault, damn it) a part of him was already twinging with guilt. He wasn't sure how he'd react if their, his, actions had actually caused something horrible. There still remained the most pressing matter, after all. He could worry about the Gate's cryptic bullshit later. "That still doesn't explain what happened to the bomb."

"Well..." Al mused, "Maybe the Gate kept it."

Edward gave a great snort of disbelief. "As if that damn thing would do something advantageous for us. More likely it ended up somewhere else."

"You're probably right. What are we going to do about it?"

Ed had to smile at that. No matter the circumstances it was always 'we' for them wasn't it? Reaching over he tweaked his little brother's ponytail which caused Al to make an aggravated sound at him. Ed just laughed and said "We'll find it again."

"Do you think Colonel Mustang and the others will help us again?" Al asked as he sat up.

Ed shoved himself up as well, then all the way to his feet. As he answered he dusted grass off his pants and jacket, "I don't see why they wouldn't, and even if they don't I'll just use the military like I did before. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"You're right. First things first..."

Al grinned up at Ed as the elder Elric offered a hand to the younger, then took hold of it. Ed pulled Alphonse to his feet and the two turned to set off once again, pausing only for Al to grab the flowers he'd collected.

The trek over the grassy knolls to where their home once stood was only a matter of minutes. The two brothers took a moment, pausing and staring at the place that still contained so many memories for them. What remained of their home was very little indeed. Only cracked and fire blackened stonework foundation persisted to be visible in some places. For the most part it had become overgrown by fresh growth. Even the blackened tree was being slowly overtaken from the base up. It was surprising it was still standing at all.

Neither brother said a word, they just stood and gazed for several long moments as they dwelt in their own thoughts and memories.

Finally, Ed turned away. He set off down the path away from their once home and, after a moment, Al turned and jogged to catch up with him. Each of them soaked it in like men who had survived a drought and now had a feast of plenty laid before them. There was nothing quite like being _home_ again.

A sudden bleat interrupted their rambling and a moment later a lean, weather beaten old ram came trotting over the road, the bell around his neck clang-clanging. A few ewe's followed him. One of the ewe's paused on the road ahead and turned to stare at the two human beings, bleated, then followed the other sheep.

"That's odd..." Al said, voicing what they were both thinking.

Ed rolled his shoulders in a shrug, then gave a short laugh. "Someone's not doing their job right apparently."

"Should we catch them?" Alphonse asked, peering after the sheep that had stopped a short way off the road and begun to nibble the grass industriously.

Edward scoffed loudly and started off again, making toward the cemetery without another thought, "Just let the idiot who screwed up chase them down."

Al hesitated where he was, looking between the loose sheep and his brother, "But... Brother..."

"You want to go see Winry and Pinako don't you?"

"Yes, but..."

"Don't worry about it, Al." Ed said, turning back around. The elder Elric continued to move on, walking backwards. "Someone will come get them. Don't worry about it."

Al looked back once more then ran to catch up with Ed, "Yes. All right. You're right."

"Of course I am." Ed said smugly, just as his heel caught on a rock protruding in his path. The elder Elric fell on his rear with a yelp.

Alphonse stood beside him and laughed, loudly, while Ed swore colorfully. Still snickering Al helped his brother to his feet and the two continued down the road. Still, despite what Ed had said, Alphonse couldn't shake the feeling that something was _wrong_. He was probably just being silly, animals escaped all the time, after all.

By the time they reached the cemetery and its rows of simple white headstones their shadows were beginning to stretch as the sun began the descent toward the western horizon. Silently the Elric brothers picked their way among the lines of silent stones until they found themselves at the familiar grave. Alphonse stepped forward and set the bouquet of wildflowers just before it. That done Al moved back beside Ed then sat down, pulled his knees up, and folded his arms over them. Chin resting on his arms he stared silently at their mother's grave while Ed stood there with his hands tucked into his pockets.

No words were needed, really, and neither brother was quite sure if they believed their mother _could_ hear them.

And yet...

Edward inhaled and let it out slowly, "We'll try to visit more often now."

He wasn't sure if he was commenting to Al, or to his long dead mother.

"Yeah..." Al breathed.

Together, alone, they stayed there for awhile longer until the sky began to turn from blue to shades of molten yellow, orange, and pink. Only then did Al stir and stand, wobbling faintly as legs numb from retaining one position too long tried to give out under him. Edward caught him by the elbow until he steadied.

No matter the years that passed it was an ache that still stung them both deeply. It had dulled, though, however slightly. They had accepted it, and their foolishness, but they would never stop missing her.

The two turned together and strode back to the dirt road.

"Let's go home, Brother."

* * *


	8. ACT II, SECTION II

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N: **And, please remember as you read this chapter that killing the ficthor is counterproductive to getting more fic!

Also to all the American readers I hope you had a good 4th of July. To any Canadian's a belated Happy Canada Day, and to the rest of my readers elsewhere I hope that if you had any holidays recently, or have one up coming that you enjoy it.

I've already finished writing Section 5 for Act II today so I'm getting ready to start on Section 6. So far I've been putting out about a chapter a day, but if I'm lucky I'll get two done today which means if I can finish Section 7 tomorrow you'll get another update. Hoorah. Cross your fingers.

* * *

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section II**

**words: 4728**

* * *

Their shadows stretched out before them as if leading them back to the place they called home. It had been a peaceful uninterrupted walk from the graveyard, and the two brothers had happily soaked it in. They didn't bother to hurry, but slowly strolled along. Sure the sun was sinking, and to the east the sky was dark and filling with stars but neither saw any reason to rush.

"So," Ed said, voice light and airy as if he were about to inquire after the weather. "What are you going to do first when we get there?"

Al's steps didn't falter, his hands clasped behind his head, but he didn't reply straight away either. Instead he actually gave it some thought. It wasn't something he'd contemplated yet, but it was a good question. What was he going to do when they got there?

"Other than enjoy the joyful reunion and try to avoid getting brained?" He asked rhetorically.

"Yes, other than that." Ed agreed. The elder Elric lifted a hand, automatically, to rub at his head in remembrance. "Maybe she'll be so happy to see us she won't get the wrench out."

Alphonse couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Edward's face. It was a perfect blend of hopeful and pained. Then, ruefully, he said, "I think the first thing I'd like to do is see if Winry's pie has gotten even better."

Edward halted abruptly and gave his brother a look that sat somewhere between surprise and amusement, then asked breezily, "Is that all?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Al asked. The look he speared Ed with right then was perfectly quizzical: his brows drawn down, lips parted fractionally, and his head tilted _just_ so.

Ed bit back a snicker. "I mean... All you want to do when you see _Winry,_" Here he put particular emphasis on their childhood friends name, "again is see if she's gotten better at baking pie?"

It was extremely amusing to watch redness bloom across Al's cheeks as he became aware of what his elder brother was implicating. Edward smirked evilly and silently counted down for the inevitable.

Right on cue Al squeaked, "Bro_ther!_"

"What?" Ed asked, wicked grin firmly in place.

Alphonse sputtered uselessly, arms dropping as he stopped on the side of the road to gape at Ed's back.

Edward turned around and quirked a brow at him, "Don't tell me you thought I was unaware of that little crush you've had on her for... What? As long as I can remember?"

Ducking his head, cheeks burning, the younger Elric tapped the tips of his fingers together as his hands hovered near his midsection. Al mumbled something incoherently, then, louder said, "Well... yes... I mean.. You were very, ah, focused, Brother."

Edward snorted, loudly, in a way that translated his thorough disgust with that fact. "Focused or not I've always had time to pay attention to you, Al."

"Doesn't it.. I don't know... bother you or anything?" Al asked, voice meek.

Finally Ed turned around and scrutinized his sibling through narrowed gold eyes, head tilted curiously. Al watched him with upward glancing eyes through the sandy veil of his fringe. Edward crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Al coughed, and it sounded suspiciously like he was hiding a laugh. Ed scowled slightly.

"I mean... You and Winry?" Alphonse lifted his gaze again, having looked aside to hide his amusement at his brother's unsurprising obliviousness to that subject. He nearly doubled over laughing at the gape jawed look Ed was giving him.

"_Me _and _Winry?!"_ Ed yelped.

The younger Elric didn't think he'd heard Ed's voice hit that pitch since he was still a walking tin can. He clasped his hands over his mouth but couldn't stop the loud snort that escaped. Edward gave him a look so potent he was surprised he hadn't dropped dead.

"No." Edward said, waving his hands back and forth through the air before him in abject refusal. "No way! I'm not into masochism."

Al rolled his eyes, "That doesn't change the fact that she has feelings for you."

Thoroughly incredulous the elder Elric brother curled his lip in bafflement, brows furrowing. "Since when?"

Heaving an exasperated sigh Alphonse propped one fist on his hip and gave Ed a despairing look. "Since... hmm.. forever maybe?"

"You're kidding..."

If Ed hadn't looked so thoroughly confused Al might have had to smack him for being obtuse. As it was he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at his brother.

"Not at all."

"Well, maybe that's changed. I mean, it's been awhile Al."

Sobering slightly Al slumped his shoulders. The ground suddenly seemed inordinately interesting. Solemnly he murmured, "That doesn't change that... Well.. Brother, _look_ at me."

Ed watched as Al motioned to himself after he spoke, and did as asked. He looked at his younger brother, not exactly sure what Al was getting at, and then it hit him. Stepping forward Edward reached out and gripped Al's shoulders, giving them a slight squeeze. It wasn't hard to see Al's face even down turned as it was. Al only had one inch on him so far.

"No matter what you look like on the outside, you're still Alphonse Elric." Ed said, matter of fact. "In fact, haven't we gone over this little concept already? Years ago even?"

Alphonse sniffed, then laughed and shoved at Ed's shoulder. "Maybe if you keep telling me these things it'll sink in eventually."

Edward grinned easily and released his brother, "Maybe. And, anyway, if she can't get passed this little speed bump you two just aren't meant to be."

Looking up at Ed, Al shook his head and laughed lightly, "When did you get so wise?"

With a scoff Ed waved the notion aside, "Please, I've _always_ been this wise!" The notion surprised another laugh from Al, and Ed couldn't help but look immensely pleased. "But I mean it, Winry's seen us both at our best and worst. If she can't accept you as you are then she doesn't deserve you. I mean I love Winry. She's the closest thing to a sister we have but... You're my little brother. I'm obligated to take your side."

"Nice to know you feel so obligated." Al teased.

Edward reached over and ruffled Al's hair, laughing, and didn't bother to answer to that. Huffing indignantly Al watched as Ed set off along the road again and, after a moment, darted forward to cuff his elder sibling around the back of the head.

Running down the road he called back, "Race you!"

"Alphonse!" Ed yipped. "That's cheating!"

Still, even as only Al's laughter rang back at him, Edward took off at a flat out sprint after his younger sibling a grin on his face. After that it didn't take them long to get there. Ahead of him, thanks to his head start, Ed could see Al slow to a stop. The elder Elric brother jogged up to the younger's side.

"Looks like you wo--..." Edward's words trailed off as he glanced toward the Rockbell Residence which Al had been staring at, a horrified expression on his face. Ed's face morphed into a picture of disbelief.

Where once there was a homey inviting building with a disposition as sunny as its paint job there was now only destruction. The last fading rays of sunlight highlighted the burnt jagged edges of the walls where they remained partially intact. The foundation was soot blackened, and the entire second floor had collapsed down upon the first. The wreckage was a twisted blackened mess of wooden slats, beams, and bricks. There was some method to the madness of the building's remains: Some neater piles as of someone had gone through what was left and removed some things.

Beside him, Al dropped to his knees in the dirt.

"No...." Al's whisper was broken and filled with a nasal quality that told Ed he was _this_ close to breaking down into tears and a snotty nose.

He couldn't blame him, really. _This_ was home, and now... It was nothing. Nothing but wreckage and memories and gut gripping worry. Ed's automail fist ground and creaked in complaint from how tightly he was forcing it to clench. He ground his teeth together hard.

"_DAMN IT._"

The only sound that returned was the calls of a startled flock of birds and the fading echos of Edward's own scream. Al fell forward, palms hitting the ground. Head hanging he dug his fingers into the dirt carelessly as a few tear drops made it passed his clenched eyelids to wet the earth.

"What the hell happened here?" Ed asked the air, his voice a rasping hiss.

This wasn't supposed to be. This was supposed to be the one place they could always return. This was supposed to be their _home_. This was where they were supposed to always have family waiting for them. It wasn't _fair_.

Ed gave a bitter laugh, choking on it. Life was hardly fair after all. But, they'd already lost so much... Didn't they deserve a little something like happiness?!

A half stifled sob from Alphonse drew Ed's attention and, after taking a shaky breath, the elder Elric brother began to collect himself. He needed to be strong now. Crouching down at Al's side he reached out to grasp his little brother's shoulder, fingers tightening as he felt Alphonse's shaking.

Once he was sure his voice was going to come out steady Ed said, "Come on Al. Let's go into town and see if we can find out what happened. I'm sure Winry and Granny Pinako are fine... I mean think about who we're talking about here..."

A water logged laugh left Al as he turned his tear stained face to look up at Ed, "I.. You're... You're right."

The two brothers shared a smile at that thought; both of them were obviously envisioning Winry and Pinako in all their stubborn glory. Ed extended his hand and, after wiping his eyes and nose on the sleeve of his coat, Al accepted the help to get back to his feet. Without even bothering to dust the dirt from his pants Al strode off, Ed following; both adopting a much quicker pace than before.

As they followed the dirt roads toward the little village they knew so well more signs of things being _wrong_ cropped up. Houses, barns, sheds... Everything seemed to have been devastated. While some were worse than others, burned out and destroyed like the Rockbell home had been, others looked like they had been ransacked. The closer they got the damage persisted until Ed stumbled into a run. Al was only a moment behind him. Both of them could feel their throats tightening with worry and terror of what they'd find, and yet they still clung relentlessly to hope. How could they not? It was one of the few things that had always kept them going.

The thud of their boots on the dirt pathways, the flap of their long jackets, and the hiss of their own ragged breathing kept them company in their mad dash. Neither bothered to care when they charged right through a loose flock of chickens, sending them scattering in a cloud of scandalized clucking. Emotions running high the two brothers skidded to a stop as they reached Resembool proper. _Nothing_ could have prepared them for the sight that met them.

The entire town was _gone_. Oh, the buildings remained, but the people were nowhere to be seen. There were no signs of life anywhere. Most of the buildings here seemed to have escaped the fate of being razed to their foundations, though a few had suffered it; the majority had simply had their windows and doors broken in and their innards callously ransacked. Bits of broken furniture littered the streets: The remnants of the gutted buildings.

Edward wheezed. He felt like someone had landed a solid punch in the vicinity of his solar plexus.

_No. No. No. No. No, please... This can't be happening._

Beside him Alphonse stood with his hands clenched into fists and mouth parted in shock.

_Nothing_ had been left untouched. General stores, the bakeries, butchers, the blacksmiths, the school, the homes... It was all in shambles. The train station was perhaps the worst. From here they could see a train had derailed on its way here, plowing into the platform. The ticket booth was nothing but splinters while the train itself still lay there, the engine propped half atop the station platform at a precarious angle while the rest of the cars lay out behind it in a zigzag pattern until it reached a few that still remained on the tracks, one only partially at that. It seemed that the train, to, had been raided of all its cargo.

Alphonse sucked in a breath and, after tearing his eyes from the train, Ed followed his gaze. There, not far from the tracks, a number of rather fresh and quickly dug graves were easy to see. Their only markers were crudely made ones. From wood someone had gathered from the destruction no doubt.

"_No_." Ed rasped, voice coming out as a failing, broken whisper. His face was a picture of anguish.

Al didn't look much better; face pale, he looked like he was rather close to breaking down into tears again.

Edward half tripped, half ran into the middle of the town and, against his better judgment, cupped his hands to his face and yelled, "Heeey! Is anybody there?"

No answer. Nothing but the wind whistling between the abandoned buildings. Turning in a circle he looked about wildly for any sign of life. The darkness of night was now complete. Everything seemed to shift and change in the silver light and deep shadow. There was no artificial light to be found, whether from electricity or fire.

Taking a breath he tried once more. "Winry?! Pinako?! It's me, Ed!"

Ed dropped his hands as his voice was swallowed by the night. The sound of soft footfalls alerted him to the fact that Alphonse had joined him. Edward glanced back at his younger brother: Al looked miserable as he stood there with his head bowed and his arms crossed in front of him, hands gripping opposite elbows.

"Brother?" Al asked in a tremulous voice.

"Don't worry. We'll figure this out. They're fine."

Ed didn't know who he was trying harder to convince: Himself... or Alphonse.

He didn't get a chance to figure it out as there came a sudden crack of gunfire. Ed reacted without thought and tackled Alphonse to the ground. The bullet pinged off his automail leg not a second later and lodged harmlessly in the dirt with the only damage having been done to his pants and those had seen better days as it was. The two brothers were back to their feet in a flash, eyes straining to see where the attack had come from.

Across from them a shadow detached itself from its brethren. In the moonlight a rather scruffy, unshaven man was revealed. He was dressed in dark fatigues and a vest that was covered in ammo cartridges to supply the gun he was touting over a ragged shirt.

The man gestured with the gun, "I suggest you drop any valuables you have, right there, right now... We may just let you two off light."

All reason, all forethought, fled Edward in the face of the emotions churning beneath his breast bone. "Did you do this?!" He hollered. "Why don't you come over here so I can kick your ass!"

Forget that they didn't even _have _any valuables. Forget that they didn't have a clue what was going on. He just _didn't care_ right then. He just wanted to have someone to blame, someone to answer for this, someone to take revenge on. It was that final thought that made Ed give pause.

Hadn't he been the one always preaching about how revenge was pointless? Yet... here he was, faced with the utter destruction of everything he'd known as a child and his first thought was _that_.

"I don't think you're in any position to make demands." The man said silkily. Then, lifting his hand, he indicated the area around him.

Slowly Ed tilted his head back. There, on the roof, were a couple other shadowy figures. Starlight glinted off the dull metal barrels of the firearms they had trained on the duo. A slight noise like the scuff of a boot on the ground drew his attention back downward. There were more of them lounging against the walls of the buildings nearby. All of them appeared to be armed, though not all of them wielded guns. He could see that a few of them were making due with knives and makeshift clubs.

"You tell'em, Will!" One of the men on the roof jeered. Laughter cascaded from the others raucously.

Will, the apparent leader, let his laughter die down and grinned wickedly at the two brothers, "If they so much as twitch... Fill'em full of holes, Bats."

"You heard the man!" The jeering voice replied.

As one the group readied their weapons, those that weren't already ready anyway. The sounds of a multitude of hammers on their respective guns being cocked was a heart stopping one no matter how many times they'd heard it in the past.

Will's dirt smudged boots crunched on the ground as he sauntered toward the Elrics. Motioning with his gun once more he commanded, "Hands up, and don't move."

While Al slowly lifted his hands into the classic position of surrender Edward sneered at the man. "I think you're a little confused. We can't put our hands up and not move at the same time."

Barking out a derisive laugh, Will glanced back at his comrades, "We got a smart ass here boys..." Turning back he gave Ed a faintly malicious smirk, "A real _genius_."

Before Ed knew what hit him he was reeling from the blow. Will had brought his gun up and walloped the blond with the butt. Edward staggered back into Al who automatically grabbed him by the shoulders to steady him. Lifting his flesh hand Ed carefully prodded the aching side of his face. It felt like it was already starting to swell slightly. Swearing viciously under his breath Ed bared his teeth and looked like he was seconds away from lunging at the man with the intention of throttling him.

"Brother, please..." Al whispered, fear straining his voice.

Ed glanced back. Al's eyes were trained on the other men targeting them from nearby.

With a final snarl Ed stepped away from his brother's steadying grip and lifted his hands.

Will laughed, "That's right, listen to your brother kid. At least one of you has some brains." Turning away from the two enough to see behind him, and ignoring Ed's renewed snarl, Will motioned, "You two, and you two, c'mere and help me."

The four indicated men, dressed nearly identical to Will, trotted over. While two of them stood back with Will the other two approached the brothers and, without any care for personal space, began to check through the two's pockets for anything of value.

After several seconds the one frisking Al stepped back. "Shit. They don't have _anything_."

"Nothing?" Will growled.

The man held up a handkerchief, a small black leather notebook, and an ink pen. "Nothing."

"Dex?"

"Same so far." The one called Dex said, holding up a similar set of possessions.

As Dex stepped around behind Ed to check for any other pockets the two brothers acted. Alphonse took a half step back, brought his knee up and unfurled his leg to kick the man who had searched him in the back. The man was propelled forward and into one of the others as he gave forth a yell of surprise. Edward, meanwhile, half turned to grab the arm of the one searching him, turned back around and pulled the man right over his shoulder. Following through the motion he tossed him into the dirt at his feet in a wheezing pile.

Almost as soon as it had happened the brothers had turned and darted across the open ground. By the time Will's men had started firing they were diving around the side of one of the buildings. Both hit the ground, tucking into a roll and ending up on their knees nearly side by side in the dust. Together they quickly scrambled around to the back of the building and crouched in the deepest shadows.

Leaning in close to his brother Ed whispered, "Good job, Al."

Al didn't answer verbally but he could see the smile he flashed, white against the darkness around them.

The sound of the leader, Will, shouting orders came to the pair and Ed growled softly under his breath. They weren't going to just let them slip off it seemed. Lifting a white gloved hand Ed caught Al's attention and pointed to the right with two fingers then, after clenching his hand into a fist, spread his fingers from his palm. Al gave a short, sharp nod. At the sound of boots treading over the ground along the sides of the buildings Alphonse burst from cover and took off running to the right. As expected the alarm went up immediately. Edward pressed back into the shadows further until it was like he was attempting to meld with the wall. Not a moment later several of the men came trooping by in pursuit of Alphonse. They didn't even look toward him.

Once he was sure the coast was clear, and knowing Al would lead them on a merry chase, Ed scuttled out of his hiding place. Remaining crouched down as he scampered to the next building on the left, a glance down between the two buildings toward where they'd come from revealed Will and his goons were still standing there in wait. Pausing he waited a moment, head tilted, and listened. Somewhere in the distance there was a loud crash and several yells.

Edward swallowed a snicker. As if these idiots could out maneuver them in their own home territory!

Another dash to another building, and then a few more and once he'd decided he was far enough down Ed skittered along the side, then made a quick dash across the more open main street. Ducking behind the buildings on the other side he quickly and quietly made his way toward the building that the men had all been clustered around, and atop of. Once there he glanced up, listening to the quiet mutterings of the men on the rooftop.

Edward sincerely hoped they didn't have any hostages in there. He didn't dare check, but he spared a moment to press his ear against the back door to listen.

No sounds emerged from inside.

Stepping back a bit he brought his hands up, took a breath, and brought them together lightly. No need to announce his presence by being showy. Immediately he could feel the alchemic charge flowing from within him. It coursed down his arms before circling back up the opposite. It was like taking a breathe of fresh air after being stuck in a small, stuffy room for days on end.

Pulling his hands apart he pressed them flat against the building and, as the blue flicker of light and crack of alchemical charge blazed across the wall, he opened his eyes to watch the results. He'd used an incomplete transmutation, took a leaf from Scar's book, and removed the reconstruction part. The building immediately began to crack. Ed jerked his hands back and skipped backward a couple steps.

With a sharp retort the cracks expanded and exploded outward along the wall. Webbing and fracturing over and over until the weight above the point of destruction began to groan. It was only a matter of moments for the entire thing to collapse with a thunderous roar. Shouts of terror and shock came from the men who'd been perched atop the building as it disappeared from under them and took them with it. Edward threw his arm up to guard against flying debris and dirt.

Hopefully that would keep them busy while he and Al got out of town.

He didn't dare wait around to see what the results had been. Instead he chose to slip back into the shadows of the other buildings. He could hear the cursing and shouts of the other men even as he jogged off, maneuvering through the side streets while sticking close to the buildings.

Resembool, as a rule, was a small village and therefor had a lot of room between buildings. It was something of a detriment at the moment, but he'd been through worse things. Trotting in a constant direction he made his way toward the edge of the village near the destroyed train station. Al would be making his way there as soon as he'd lost his pursuers.

Slowing to a stop as he neared the edge of the last building Ed scanned the open area before him with a hint of paranoia. He didn't see anyone, but he didn't see _Al_ either. He had expected his little brother to get here before him. Nothing made his skin crawl with the sensation of being watched and so, after a moment, he stepped out into the star light. Swinging his arms and idly scuffing the toe of his left boot against the ground, he waited.

About a minute later the sound of quick footsteps made him turn, however, he caught sight of the dark figure that slithered across an open patch of ground a moment later. Alphonse was on his way. He must have lead them farther off the other way than expected.

Al had just passed the second to last building and was slinking along the side of the last when someone stepped out from behind him and, in a moment, had hold of the younger Elric. One large, thickly muscled arm grasped Al around his torso, pinning his arms, while the other hand ended up clasped over his mouth; silencing him quite effectively.

With a muffled shout Al flailed out with one leg, trying to kick his captor in the knee cap. The man shifted back, though, and he missed.

Edward growled, incensed that someone would dare threaten his little brother and darted forward. He never made it more than a few steps before he found himself surrounded by men. Two grabbed his arms, one each, and a third kicked his knees out from under him. His arms were twisted behind him and he found his face being ground into the dirt.

In the shadows nearby a point of light flared to life. Ed instantly recognized it as a cigarette. The smoker stepped forward and Edward could see that it was the little groups leader, Will.

Blowing out a stream of smoke the man offered him a patronizing little smirk, "Nice try, kid." Waving to his men he called, "Drag these little suckers back. We need to relocate." Will strode over and crouched down in front of Ed. Reaching out he grabbed a handful of his fringe and pulled the blond's head back harshly. "I don't know what the hell you did... but it was impressive. How about you and your brother there join us? Hmm? We're not such bad guys."

Ed glared in answer. If he'd had the saliva to spare he probably would have spat in the slimy bastards face.

Will laughed, apparently amused by Ed's hostile nature. "I'll give you until morning to decide. After that well... You boys need target practice right?"

Will released him, stood, and began to make his way back into Resembool. Ed found himself forced back to his feet and dragged after the man. Al, enduring the same treatment, wasn't far behind.

* * *


	9. ACT II, SECTION III

**See Prolgoue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N: **You're actually getting this a little early as I've yet to actually finish Section 7. But I decided I was going to post it anyway. Ha. Given I need to go through and edit something as I've been spelling a certain characters name wrong the entire bloody time through this section and the next few. Gah.

* * *

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section III**

**words: 4031**

* * *

The two brothers were shoved through a doorway and into a rather bare room that looked like it had been used as a storage space previously. It still had remnants of shelving though anything that had been in there had vanished. Both of them were bound with rope around their torsos and upper arms as well as having their arms pulled into an uncomfortable position so that their wrists could be tied behind them.

Their captors didn't bother manhandling them further. It wasn't necessary. The two moved to the other side of the room and slid down the wall to sit cross legged on the floor. They had both been in situations similar to this enough times to know when it was best to comply, and when it was best to fight back.

Will entered after them and moved the crouch before Ed. Shoving the barrel of his ever present gun under the blond's chin he forced Edward to tilt his head up. Shifting his cigarette over to the corner of his mouth with lips and tongue he eyed Ed for a moment then smirked, "So, kid, what'd you do? What kinda explosives? Gimme the answer and we might just play nice, got it?"

Scowling heavily, brows drawn down sharply, Ed curled his lip at the man, "I don't know what you're talking about. What explosives?"

The man gifted Edward with a look like he was a rather dull witted three year old. "The explosives you used to take out the building. An explosive that's near soundless..." A slow grin spread over Will's face, and it was obvious he wasn't thinking anything about using those for the good of others. "Well, let's just say the secret'd sell well and use even better."

Perplexed, the scowl melted off Edward's face. Then, "I'm an Alchemist." Ed's expression slid into a wide grin at that, eyes hooding as he fairly preened. "A prodigy at that. You may or may not have heard of me, probably have, but I'm known as--..."

He never got to finish because for some reason they found what he was saying funny. Edward was left to glare nastily as the lot of them burst out laughing.

Will had the audacity the pat him on the head before he turned and left the room, still joking and laughing with his goons.

The two brothers found themselves alone in the room with only a lamp hanging from a hook near the closed door to illuminate it. As a result the light was a fairly steady glow that didn't really reach all the corners. All they could do was wait for a chance to make their escape now.

Edward had always known that waiting wasn't really one of his strong points. He had always, and still, preferred to be _doing_ something rather than waiting for the moment to do it. Still, that didn't make him incapable of the act as he'd proven once or twice. When the moment called for it Ed could be as patient as a fisherman brooding over his favorite spot. It didn't matter if other people said that the place wasn't fruitful. If Ed felt it would be, he'd stay. His gut instinct was usually never wrong, really. That fact, however, didn't make _this_ any easier.

"An alchemist he says!" A voice said loudly, obviously Will's. It was followed by an explosion of laughter.

Ed jutted his chin out, lower lip protruding in a mixture of an annoyed glower and a pout. After a moment he turned his attention to their surroundings. The walls were obviously made of stone that had been carefully layered with plaster and then painted over in deep cream color to make it brighter. The door was thick, rough wood that looked like it had been there for many long years. The shelves were much the same. The floor too, was like the walls, though the stone here had been worn down from years of foot traffic.

As he'd noted before it was completely barren; nothing was there to catch his interest. Snorting out his avid boredom Ed shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable. This was almost as annoying as that time Cornello had him chained up in the basement of that church.

"I think that one had automail. Imagine the profit we could get for that after we lift it off his corpse." A gravely voice growled.

The muscle in the corner of Ed's eye ticked.

"Brother..." Al warned in an undertone.

Ed puffed up his cheeks then let the air out in a huff. "I know." he grumbled. "Still doesn't mean I can't imagine wringing their sorry necks."

The passing of hours was almost horrifically slow as they waited for their captors to fall asleep. Neither were sure if they'd bothered posting guards and watchmen, but judging on how cocky the group seemed they had their doubts. They seemed not to expect any sort of hostility in the area, and obviously thought they had the brothers right where they wanted them. Well, that would be their loss. The two Elric's certainly didn't have a problem with being underestimated.

Time seemed to be moving as slowly as possible.

"What should we do once we're out of here?" Al asked, voice so low Ed almost missed it.

"We'll go to central and demand why that Bastard Colonel let this happen."

Alphonse had to bite his lip to hold back the chuckle that wanted to escape. It was just amusing that Ed automatically blamed it on the Colonel. Edward caught the look on Al's face in his peripheral and rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Al."

"I didn't say anything." Alphonse sing-songed quietly.

"You wanted to." Ed pointed out.

"Maybe." Al agreed guilelessly. "But it's a good idea. The Colonel's likely to know what's going on."

Edward's derisive snort was agreement enough though all he said was, "We'll walk to the next town, or farther if we have to, then get a train in."

It seemed to take forever for the loud voices to die away in favor of low murmurs, and eventually they tapered off all together. Still, they sat in silence and waited another hour at least.

Finally, Ed shifted and brought his hands together behind his back. He was immensely grateful they'd tied him with his palms facing each other. Turning around he scooted across the floor to Al's side and lay his fingertips against the rope binding his younger brother. The room flared with blue light for a moment before the rope shifted and fell apart in a shower of plant fibre. Alphonse shuffled around, turning so he was back to back with Ed. Edward repeated the transmutation to get Alphonse's hands free.

Once he was free Al spun around on his toes and kneeled behind his elder brother's back. Leaning over Ed's bound hands he quickly began to undo the knots binding Edward's wrists, and from there moved onto the rope holding his arms to his sides.

Within twenty minutes they were free. Edward crept over to the door with Al just behind him and, with great care, pulled the heavy wooden thing open. Slowly he stuck his head around the door frame, checking for guards or anyone who had noticed them. Nothing moved nor stirred, in fact there weren't any guards in the little hallway that the door opened onto. Ed stepped out into it.

The hall was much darker than the room they'd been in, but luckily not so dark that their eyes had trouble adjusting. Light spilled in from behind them as well as from an open doorway a few feet to the right. A great amount of snoring issued from the self same room and the two brother's could only hazard that that was where most of their captor's were sequestered. Beyond that doorway the hall terminated in a dead end.

Edward looked left. A set of stairs went further up, but beneath them the hall continued on. Hopefully it lead to a back exit and they could get out of there without having to sneak through the lot in the main room. Taking great care not to clomp about because of his automail leg Ed headed down the hall to the left. It was when he reached the corner that led along beside, and under, the stairs that he realized Alphonse wasn't with him.

Looking back over his shoulder he caught sight of Al silhouetted against the pale yellow glow from the room where their captors were sleeping. His brother had one hand braced on their side of the door frame and was leaning into the room.

"Al." Ed hissed.

Alphonse leaned back to meet Ed's gaze then lifted his free hand and motioned for Ed to join him. After hesitating and shifting on his feet restlessly for a few seconds Ed huffed quietly and slunk back down the hall to Al's side.

"What are you doing?"

Al flashed him a flat look before peering back around the partially illuminated room before them. "They took our books remember?"

He did remember that, obviously. It was a little hard to miss. "Of course."

"Well I want to get them back. Those have notes about the Other World, and I know you've been keeping alchemy notes in there even if you couldn't use them." Al pointed out placidly.

"I want them back too, but Al... I'd rather _get out_ of here than worry over those."

Al heaved a sigh that was faintly exasperated. Turning away from the room he gazed directly at Ed. "I know I mentioned that bomb at least a few times, and I'm sure you mentioned it even more."

Alphonse could practically see the light of understanding come on behind Ed's golden eyes and smiled.

"Right." Ed said. "Do you see them?"

"No. I'm going to have to go in there and look for them."

Edward chewed his lower lip wanting to tell Al that he just _couldn't,_ but the fact of the matter was that Al really was the only choice. Ed made too much noise no matter how quiet he tried to be. It was just what happened when one had a metal limb or two. There was always just a little bit of noise that was made when he set his automail foot down. It was an unavoidable fact of nature for him.

With that knowledge it was inevitable that, when he met Al's soft brown gaze, he nodded in agreement. He trusted Al anyway. Alphonse had always been able to take care of himself just as well as Edward could, and he really saw no reason to stop trusting in Al's skills now.

Alphonse beamed at him then let his face become serious again. With all of his focus concentrated on keeping his every movement quiet the younger Elric stepped lightly into the room.

The area nearest the inner doorway was empty so he made his way swiftly over to the first person. All of the men were laying sprawled on the floor or propped against the walls. Around them were piles of obviously stolen goods which only proved they'd been smart enough not to keep their loot all in one place. That, or they'd just had too much. Considering it seemed they'd raided an entire village's worth it could be either.

Alphonse carefully maneuvered around things from pots and pans, to childrens' toys, and beyond; it was all scattered amongst used dishes and half eaten food. More prevalent still were empty bottles that stank strongly of alcohol. Every pile he came to he checked it over carefully before moving on. He stepped over limbs and bodies, his feet touching down with barely a sound as the soles of his boots hit the floor. His long jacket made only the barest of whispers.

As he stepped over the legs of one of the men propped against the wall the man groaned and shifted fitfully in his sleep. Alphonse froze, very nearly holding his breath as he waited and hoped for the man to settle once more. After several breathless seconds, once he was sure the man wasn't going to move again, Al continued on his way.

It wasn't until he was nearly all the way across the room that he finally spotted the two black books. Forcing himself not to rush despite his excitement, and reminding himself, to his personal amusement, that he was supposed to be the level headed one, he picked his way over to them.

He was forced to reach passed one man's heads to get to them. Hooking one arm under his chest to prevent his jacket sliding forward and disturbing the sleeping man he reached out with his other and carefully slide his fingers around the thin volumes. Pulling them to his chest he breathed out through his nose in relief. Opening each he made sure they really were what he was after, then turned around and held them up so Ed could see he'd succeeded. Even from here he could see the worried knit to Edward's brows and tilt to his frown.

Upon seeing that Al had the books Ed lifted a hand and waved frantically for him to return. Al shook his head at him in a way that conveyed amusement rather than disagreement and began to pick his way back across the room.

When Al finally reached Ed he handed over his brother's book and they both pocketed them with alacrity.

"I thought I was going to keel over." Ed grumbled under his breath. "As tense as I was it felt like rigor mortis had set in already."

Al sniggered quietly.

Together the two swept down the hall. They weren't proved wrong about there being a back exit. As soon as they were outside they melded into the shadows and slipped into the night. Once they were sure they'd left any sphere of detection they set off at a run toward the train station.

They burst out from the last couple buildings near the train station, and very near where they'd been caught on their last escape attempt. After sprinting across dirt path and grass verge they hit the gravel around the train tracks. Their boots skidding against the loose rock to arrest their momentum and change direction. Edward very nearly fell over and had to shoot out a hand to brace himself. Shoving back to his feet he followed Alphonse's lead and jumped up to clamber atop one of the downed train cars with the aid of a slight ridge in the roof. The two crawled across the side of it and hopped off the far edge so as to put the derailed train between them and anyone who might have followed them.

Landing on the other side in a crouch they didn't even bother to wait a moment, simply straightened and took off at a dead run again down the side of the train. Once they reached the end of it they stepped into the middle of the rails and set off down the provided pathway, jackets flapping around their legs.

"I remember the trip to go see that bastard being a lot easier the first time." Ed laughed.

Alphonse grinned and glanced over at Ed, "Even with the hijacking?"

"Even with the hijacking."

Spirits renewed the two kept up the pace, bantering occasionally, until they were sure they'd put enough distance between themselves and their ruined home to throw off any pursuit that may have been mounted.

At long last they allowed their pace to slow to a jog then eventually peter off to nothing. Edward braced his hands on his knees and inhaled slow, deep lung fulls of air to catch his breath. Al did much the same but straightened first and used the back of his sleeve to dash sweat from his brow. It might have been the dead of night when even the crickets seemed to have gone quiet, but it was still a balmy night.

"Damn." Ed said, straightening up. He ran his hand through his bangs in agitation. The motion left them ruffled and sticking out oddly in places from sweat. "It doesn't seem this long on a train either."

They had easily covered a couple of miles, but there was still no sign of civilization. The terrain had stayed much the same on the eastern side of the tracks, but the western side had gradually turned into forest which had thickened and gotten wilder the farther north they went.

"Keep going or look for a place for the night?" Al asked.

Ed gave it some consideration, "Keep going. We don't want to cramp up after that... and I want to get to Central as soon as possible."

Al sighed and followed after Ed as the elder of the two started walking along the tracks. "Brother... Don't give Colonel Mustang too hard of a time. He might not have been able to do anything."

Ed snorted loudly and flapped a hand by his ear in dismissal. "Yeah, yeah. Nothing better have happened to Winry and Pinako or I'll shove my automail fist so far up Mustang's a--.."

"_Brother!_" Alphonse squawked.

"What?" Ed asked, turning his head to blink at his younger brother. Alphonse had stopped walking in favor of propping his fists on his hips.

"I thought you said the two of you came to an understanding!"

"I did." Edward scoffed. "That doesn't mean I like him any better."

Alphonse moaned and clapped his hands over his face before rejoining Ed in their meandering. "You're hopeless, Brother."

Ed's only reply was a rude noise.

They'd been walking for maybe twenty minutes to half an hour and there was still no sign of civilization. Alphonse came to a halt and lifted a hand to cover a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Maybe we should find somewhere to sleep for a couple hours, Brother."

Edward grunted, then shook himself. It was obvious he'd been near the state of being a complete zombie. "Yeah, you're probably right."

There they stood glancing blearily around in an attempt to find a viable place to hole up for a few hours. Both were tired as sleep hadn't been exactly forthcoming as of late. A series of late nights and then the last few hours culminated in a latent exhaustion that was only now creeping up on them. It was for that reason that they were caught unawares. One moment they were standing there pawing at gritty dry eyes, and the next they found themselves surrounded on three sides by ragged men and women wielding farm tools and other common items like weapons.

Alphonse started, shocked to find himself staring into the dirt smudged face of a pan holding a hoe like a sword. Al immediately stepped back, bumping shoulders with Ed who was too busy eying a women with a curtain rode to respond. She looked vaguely familiar with a lined face that had once belonged to someone much more beautiful and thick wavy hair that could have been black or dark brown in this lighting.

"Ah..." Al tried as he lifted his hands to about chest level, palms facing away from himself, in a placating gesture. "Uhm... We don't mean any harm."

The makeshift weapons lowered fractionally. The people wielding them were looking at them with more curiosity than hostility.

"What are you two doing about so late?" A man with a rake asked.

"We're trying to get to Central City." Edward offered, then added darkly. "Unfortunately Resembool seems to have been destroyed..."

A man with a shovel swore viciously, "We were heading toward Resembool hoping for... Well, it doesn't matter now."

Alphonse took in the bleak looks on the peoples faces, his heart constricting. What in the world was going on in Amestris?

"Have... have your homes been destroyed too?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.

The man with the hoe nodded, then sighed. He set the butt of the hoe on the ground and leaned wearily against it. His free hand, grimy as it was, raised to rub at his eyes. "Our entire village, actually."

Edward swore softly. Only Alphonse heard him.

"You two can come and stay the night in our camp. We've not much but... we can give you a bit to eat. You boys must be starved." The woman with the curtain rod offered.

"We couldn't possibly..." Al started.

"Don't worry about us. You obviously need to worry about yourselves." Ed finished.

A man with little more than a branch laughed. "Come on. If people can't have goodwill toward each other then where will we be? We don't have much, but you're welcome to a bit of what we have."

Ed and Al exchanged glances then after a moment of consideration decided it wasn't worth fighting over. These people were obviously insistent and kind enough.

"Thank you very much." Alphonse murmured.

Surrounded by the haggard refugees the two brothers allowed themselves to be lead off the train tracks and into the forest. Their camp wasn't far off the tracks, and it was obvious they'd been using the tracks to travel by while keeping to the relative safety and cover of the woods. Their first glimpse of it was just firelight through the trees, and a few moments later they stepped into the clearing they were occupying.

It wasn't even really a camp. More, it was a gathering of people in cloths that were dirty from hard travel along with a messy cluster of belongings they had obvious salvaged. It was bare necessities, and while a few blankets had been strung up as makeshifts tents, most of the people who weren't clustered around the fire were sitting at the bases of trees or just laying out on the ground.

Alphonse worried his lip between his teeth. He could hear Edward cursing under his breath about giving Mustang hell as soon as he saw him. Al was almost inclined to agree.

How had things decreased to this state?

They were lead toward the fire over which a large pot was simmering. One of the people crouched beside it happened to glance up; a girl in a pale yellow, dirt smudged sundress with a fall of black hair that went to the small of her back. She looked to be a few years younger than they were. Well, younger than Edward at any rate. She was possibly older than Alphonse's physical appearance.

The girl did a double take, then gasped, and jumped to her feet.

"Edward?"

Both Elric's scrutinized the girl as she jogged toward them.

"Is that you? It is isn't it!"

Then, recognition dawned, and almost in one voice the two spoke, "Klose?!"

Klose beamed up at them and Edward was flabbergasted to see that she was several inches shorter than he was now. Well... It was better than her being taller than him, he supposed. Before he could formulate anything more to say the girl threw herself at him. Ed was shocked at the strength of her hug.

"I'm so glad you're all right! I haven't heard from you since... Well for _years_. You could've wrote or something you know!"

"Sorry, Klose. Things have been crazy." Ed gasped.

"It's fine!" After she released Edward from her death grip Klose turned to Alphonse looking faintly baffled, "Do I know you?"

Al rubbed the back of his neck, lips quirked into a lopsided grin, "Ah, yeah... It's me.. Alphonse."

Green eyes wide Klose took a step back and looked him up and down. "Wow... Really? But..." The girl shook herself and launched over to hug Al as well which surprised a laugh from the younger Elric.

"It's really good to see you again too, Klose."

* * *

**A/N the Second:** For those of you who are unaware, or can't remember her Klose (pronounced Claus) is the little Tomboy from Episode Four of the first FMA anime. The one with Majihal.

Also... Fun factoid. I actually have an entire playlist for this fanfic. Some of my choice pieces for inspiration for TSR are as follows:

Home – Chris Daughtry

Welcome Home – Coheed and Cambria

Way to Mandalay – Blackmore's Night

All Souls Night – Loreena Mckennitt

The Mystic's Dream – Loreena Mckennitt

That last I think has almost become a sort of... theme song... to me for this fic. ;] It's a good song. For some strange reason Celtic music REALLY inspires me on this fic. -laugh.-

* * *


	10. ACT II, SECTION IV

**See Prologue/Chapter One for standard warnings and disclaimers.**

**A/N: **-shoves her update schedule into a hole and leaves it to die.- I'm mostly uploading this one early (as I've yet to finish section seven, slacker that I am.) because I want to point out I've recently updated my profile with a list of fics and my upcoming fics. Though I probably won't be starting another until I either finish this one, or need a break from it. Which might happen because TSR is less Novel and more Saga. Or maybe Epic...

Oh, and to **ShiroAndFubuki,** who has been an awesome reviewer so far by the way, I can now say that you'll find out _why_ Act II is named as it is in Section 6.

Until later. Ta!

-makes a get away quicker than the cliffhanger in this chapter.-

**

* * *

**

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section IV**

**words: 4251**

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Ed and Al found themselves ushered to the group around the fire, though ushered wasn't really the right term. In actuality Klose caught one of each of their hands and dragged them over. Once there she dropped down onto a half rotten log that was one of many the refugees had obviously moved into a rough circle for their own comfort. The brothers stepped over it and sat down to either side of the girl.

The people who'd led them here had followed and were joining those already gathered and, as they did, they could be heard relaying the news the brothers had given them.

"They said Resembool has been destroyed as well..."

"Where are we going to go now?"

"We were so close...."

Klose tugged on Ed's sleeve to draw his attention and, after a moment, began pointing out people while putting names to faces. Ed doubted he'd remember them all, but he let her do it. When she leaned forward to say something to another person the two brothers exchanged looks over her head. Edward found his faint frown mirrored on Al's face. Neither of them knew what to make of this situation.

"Here you go."

Startled both of them jumped in surprise and looked up. The woman who'd been wielding the curtain rod was offering a couple of bowls to them. She was a plump woman with a no nonsense air that was tempered by a spark of good humor in her eyes.

Edward sputtered as it came back to him. He realized where he'd seen her before. "Karin!"

The formerly morose woman laughed at the surprise on both of their faces, "Yes. That would be me."

As Alphonse accepted the bowl from the woman he smiled, "You're looking better."

Karin winked at the younger Elric. "I was upset, but... Sometimes it's best to just move on. I still love him but..." she waved a hand absently. "There are other people I can help out still."

"Good for you." Edward laughed.

While the food consisted only of a thin sort of gruel it was welcome. They hadn't eaten since lunch after all, and that hadn't been much. Beside him Ed could hear Alphonse and Clause chattering about something. His attention, however, was elsewhere as he sipped from the bowl.

Despite the conditions these people were in the atmosphere was almost jovial, but Ed could still see the shadows in their eyes. They were happy because if they let themselves despair they probably wouldn't be able to go on. While it was awful to see people like this, he knew that for now they were fine. They were still moving forward despite what had happened to them. It was when they gave into despair and became deadened that he would be really worried.

Not everyone was still awake, obviously, it was rather late or rather it was early. One of the makeshift tents had a cluster of younger children sleeping soundly beneath it. Some of them slept fitfully and he could only imagine the nightmares that plagued their minds. The other makeshift tent had been given over to the elderly.

As he emptied his bowl a baby started to cry from where it was cradled in it's mother's arms. The mother was awake in a flash and began to shush her child. Some of the children sleeping in a pile under the blanket tent sat up, rubbing bleary eyes and looking confused. A young girl, no more than four began to sniffle and eventually cry.

Klose stood up from between them and trotted over to the little kids. In an instant she sat down among them and began to gather their attention, to quiet and comfort them. Alphonse finished his own food and, after handing it over to Karin followed after Clause to see if he could help. It didn't take long before Al had the kids enraptured in a story Ed faintly recognized from his past.

The empty space beside him was filled by Karin and a older man he recognized as Klose's father.

"They're all orphans." The man said quietly. "We try to take care of them, but... they miss their parents."

Lips tightening into a deeper frown Ed asked, "Were their parents killed when...?"

"Yes." Karin sighed. "When the our village was destroyed. Some of them are from other towns in the area and we just picked them up."

"Klose has been doing surprisingly well. I never expected her to take responsibility like she has..." Said girl's father gazed at his daughter proudly for a moment then glanced back at Ed. "I never did get a chance to thank you for what you did for her back then."

Ed waved it off. It was unimportant. "No reason to thank me. It was the right thing to do."

Majihal had been a lunatic even if he hadn't been one of the worst Edward had encountered. He still wished things had turned out differently and the man hadn't ended up dead, but... It had been a freak accident.

"How did you find out about Resembool?"

Ed leaned forward, arms crossed as they rested on his knees. Bowing his head he gazed at the dirt below, "We're from Resembool originally, and... Well we'd only just made it home after a rather long... trip... When we got back it looked like it had been raided. Some of the buildings have been torched. There was no one there except a group of men who seem to have been filching whatever was left. Maybe they did it, maybe not... I can't say."

Klose's father whistled slightly, "You probably saved us then. If we'd ended up going all the way there and ran into them...?"

Karin meanwhile was scrutinizing the blond, "Are the two of you all right?"

Rueful, Ed reached up and touched the side of his face. "Yeah, I've just got a bruise for my troubles. Nothing too bad, and I've definitely had worse."

Klose's father clapped him on the shoulder, "Get some sleep, son." the man said, not unkindly. "Tomorrow comes too soon, and we've all got to decide where we go from here."

It was sound advice and Edward flashed the man a brittle smile before he stood and made his way over to Alphonse. Sitting down near his brother, who settled cross legged before the intent pile of children, Ed leaned back against one of the trees being used to support the makeshift tent's roof. A few of the kids sent him curious looks before focusing back on Al. Even Klose looked enraptured with whatever tale his little brother was telling.

"...and the next time we saw her she was a _school teacher!_ I still can't believe she fooled us again but..."

As he drifted into a half sleep, listening to Al recount their encounter with Psiren, there was a faint smile on his face as he , too, remembered.

–

The sun was barely up, and only a few lucky shafts of sunlight penetrated the trees when Ed awoke. Despite the early hour, and the fact that he'd had maybe four hours of rest (if lucky) he didn't feel like going back to sleep. One hand came up automatically to paw the sleep from his eyes, and it was only after that that he bothered to have a look around him. The kids from the night before were back in their little pile, sleeping peacefully, and he was amused to see that Klose was curled up with them. A great majority seemed to be using the former (or was she still one?) tomboy for a pillow. Weight, and the fact that his flesh leg was numb, clued him in that he hadn't escaped the fate of serving as a pillow.

A glance down proved it to be only Alphonse however. His younger brother had his head resting on Ed's thigh as he slept and Ed couldn't stop his lips quirking up at the fact. They were still as close as ever; it was a bond most brothers could never boast to have.

He turned his head at the sound of low voices murmuring to one another to find that several of the men were already up. They were seated around the fire which had nearly died out in the wee hours. Klose's father was prodding it back to life though a few of the others were tossing twigs and bits of dry plant matter onto it as well.

Carefully Ed began to try and get up. He was hoping not to wake Alphonse as his brother needed his sleep. Particularly since Edward had skivved off his driving turn after Glastonbury and all. He wasn't feeling too bad anyway. The both of them had gotten fairly used to sleeping little, and in fact functioned very well on that sort of sleep regimen.

His attempts were all for naught it seemed, for a moment later Al groaned slightly and blinked sleep encrusted eyes open.

"Brother...?"

Ed relaxed back and grinned crookedly, "Morning sleepyhead. You can either get up or sleep a bit longer, but I need to get up."

Al laughed then sat up. He was already rubbing at his eyes and trying to right his sleep disheveled hair in some manner of order, "I'll get up. Its best to try and figure things out sooner rather than later, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Ed agreed simply as he stood. Pressing his hands to the small of his back he arched and twisted his spine until it popped. "Oooh, that felt good."

Al snickered at him, "Getting old, Brother?"

Ed quirked a brow down at Al and growled playfully, "Don't start that now. Save it for Mustang."

As Alphonse laughed at him Ed wandered off into the woods to take care of his morning needs. On his way back he ran into Al who had apparently had a similar idea, and had stopped to collect some kindling. Ed joined him, and after they had what they estimated too be enough they headed back to the camp.

They and the men were still the only people up, but for the addition of Karin who was stirring what remained of the gruel for breakfast. There was no wasting things when in a situation such as this.

Klose's father smiled at them as they set the wood down within easy reach, "Thank you, boys. My name is Patrick, by the way. I don't think we were ever properly introduced."

"And we're Edward and Alphonse, of course!" Al said cheerily.

Patrick patted the log next to him, "Now that we're all properly introduced why don't you have a seat."

The two brother's took the offered seat and fell in to listening to the quiet murmurs and the escalating bird song as the sun moved further into its daily rise. While both of them wanted to ask about the state of the country, neither of them could ask these people. They'd already been through enough as of late; that much was obvious. Asking those sorts of probing questions would, no doubt, only dredge up things they'd rather not think about at the moment.

"The only choices we have are to turn around and head back north." An older man growled. "Resembool might've been closer, but obviously it wasn't the right choice."

"No one could have predicted this." Another said, voice gently placating. "We just have to make do and think all our choices through."

The older man glared sharply at the younger, "Don't you patronize me, Ivan."

"I'm not trying to..."

"IF..." The old man said loudly cutting off Ivan's words. "If the god damned military was doing it's job we wouldn't be in this mess. But we all know they don't give a lick about the common people."

Ed turned his head slightly to look over from under his lashes at the arguing pair. The rest of the people were watching them as well, though no one had bothered to speak up. A low murmur of agreement rippled through most of them at the old man's words. Ed barely breathed out a sigh. He couldn't help but wonder if all the work he'd done to get people to see the military in a better light had gone to seed now. Alphonse's finger's found the wrist of his flesh arm and gave a slight squeeze before retreating; he was obviously well aware of what Edward was thinking.

"Well..." One of the others piped up at last. "There was that one... That State Alchemist."

The old man made a rude noise at that, "You all know that the alchemists are the worst!"

"Not this one!" Karin said sharply. The woman looked up from the pot and set the lid back on it with a sharp clang. It was so far from the rather meek and quiet woman they'd encountered all those years ago that both Elrics couldn't help but stare at her. "We've all heard the news from other towns of the Fullmetal Alchemist. He's an alchemist for the people."

"Yes. That's right..." Ivan mused. "They call him the Hero of the People, don't they?"

Karin nodded sharply. "That's what they say. That he helps the common man."

Edward shifted uneasily. He'd never been in this position before where he wasn't recognized. Given, these people had met him before he'd gotten certified, and he didn't think they'd ever given their full names to anyone here... They only knew him as Edward, the kid who'd shown up for awhile and given them a hand. Still, he found it a bit odd though maybe it wasn't. Rumor had a tendency to warp any story into unrecognizable proportions after all. It was likely they'd never connected the rumors to the boy and the armored person who had come through their home. Ed was just contemplating saying something when the old man spoke up again, his voice was heavily laden with derision.

"So they say, but I don't see him here now do you?" The man lifted his hands to indicate where they were. "He wasn't here to save our home, and he wasn't there to stop Resembool from suffering the same fate. Some hero."

It felt like someone had poured ice water down his spine. The back of his skull prickled unpleasantly. Edward had never encountered this aspect of being a well known hero. One where people could turn on you for not being there to help them. Some of the others were nodding, some withheld judgment, and still others looked disapproving.

"One person can't be everywhere!" Karin said forcefully. "You can't always rely on others. You've got to help yourself."

"There hasn't been any news of him anyway. He's obviously run off as soon as things started."

Edward clenched his hands into fists. How did he respond to something like this? How many people were thinking the same thing? Al's fingers were wrapped around his wrist again and his gaze was drilling into the side of Ed's head.

"Brother?" He asked, voice carrying no further than the two of them. It was laced with sadness and concern.

"I'm okay." Ed responded, obviously lying.

"I think this hero you're all nattering about is just a coward who gives pretty promises and can't do anything real!"

Abruptly, Edward stood up surprising the argument into silence. He wanted to rant and rave at them: to yell and say that they didn't know _anything,_ but he was so angry, and so _upset_ that he couldn't say anything at all. Instead he just whipped around, black jacket and ponytail swaying with the motion, and stomped toward the edge of the camp.

He must have made enough noise to wake Klose as the girl sat up as he passed, looking at him in sleepy confusion. Her curious call of his name was lost to the ringing of his ears.

Alphonse jumped up and trotted after his brother, ignoring the curious looks Patrick and Karin were giving him.

"Al?" Klose asked as she crawled over the children and stepped out from under the makeshift tent. "What's going on?"

Stopping, Al wavered back and forth for a moment then said, "It's... a long story. I'm going to go talk to Brother."

Without waiting for a reply the younger Elric tore off into the forest after his elder sibling. There was no telling what could be wandering the area. Wolves, cougars, bears... While all of them were more common further up north there was still a possibility. There were definitely wild boar in the area as well. Not to mention the possibility of hostile people.

It wasn't hard to follow Ed considering how thick and mostly untouched the brush was. His brother wasn't bothering to be careful. Broken twigs, and heavy footprints in the soft loam lead him. Alphonse was still a bit surprised at how far Ed had gone, and was just beginning to wonder if he ought to just go back and wait when he heard a sharp cracking sound from ahead.

Al pushed through a few more thick tangles to find Edward standing beside a tree that he had obviously just punched. The side of his fist was still resting against the wood which had splintered slightly from the force behind Ed's automail. Al didn't even have to speak up, as soon as he arrived words started spilling from his brother.

"They don't know _anything_." Edward hissed, his voice a thick rasp that was stuck between agony and sorrow. "They don't have any idea what I, what _we_ went through and... How can they sit there and say those things?!" Ed pulled his fist back and slammed it against the tree again. The wood splintered further. Bits and pieces of the broken bark and pulp began to stick in the fabric of his glove. "Despite that... I can't help but wonder how many more people are thinking that..."

Edward turned around and slumped back against the tree. His head fell back, hitting against the trunk with a solid thump. The eyes he turned on Alphonse were guilty and despairing: It was a hollow look he hadn't seen since he and Ed were still looking for the Philosopher's Stone.

"Did I really abandon them?"

Those last words were barely more than a whisper, but they were the crux of the matter. Edward was thinking about what the Gate had said. Had his choices meant he abandoned them? Could he have prevented this if he'd chosen not to cross back over. Or worse, was it his actions then that doomed them to this? He couldn't see how that could be, and yet...

Those words haunted him so.

_**Revel in the consequences of your choices.**_

"Don't think like that!" Alphonse spoke up suddenly, his voice sharp. It made Edward jerk in surprise. "I know what you're thinking, Brother... I can see it in your eyes. You always..." Alphonse sniffed, eyes tearing at the corners. He _hated_ seeing Ed like this! "You always take so much on yourself.... You _always_ accept the guilt for things you can't control. If you have to accept guilt and responsibility for this... Please... You're not alone."

Wide eyed Ed stared at his distraught little brother and slowly his face relaxed into a wan smile. "Al..."

"You aren't, Brother... There are so many people who are willing to help you... To share the burden with you. Why can't you see that?"

"I can see that, Al. I just... Sometimes I forget."

Al dashed his hand across his eyes and sniffed again. "You're such an idiot."

Edward grinned, then, unable to fight it back. "You still love me though."

"Brotherly obligation." Al groused teasingly. "Now, are you feeling better?"

"I..." For a moment he thought about telling him all the things on his mind: about the Gate and the possibility that maybe this really _was_ all his fault. He couldn't bring himself to, couldn't find the words. "Yeah, I think I am."

It was clear that Al didn't really believe him, but was willing to let it lie for the moment. "Let's go back then. Klose is worried."

"Yeah, okay..."

Ed pushed off the tree and moved over to Alphonse's side. Before they could make it more than a few feet a loud snarl broke the silence. It was only well honed reflexes and the notion to quickly back peddle that saved them. In a blur of motion a furry gray creature dropped from the tree limb above and hit the ground on all fours. On closer inspection it revealed itself to be something like a wolf. It was obviously not a wolf, but instead a chimera: The furry body terminated around the hind quarters which looked more lizard-like and were covered in deep green scales. The claws on the hind feet were easily as long as a man's middle finger.

More growls and hisses echoed around them. The two brothers immediately turned and put themselves back to back with one another. An entire pack of the wolf-lizard chimera were emerging from the brush around them their lizard like tails straight out behind them for balance. All of them were salivating with eagerness.

As Alphonse slid into a familiar fighting pose, legs apart and hands held up with fingers together and palms flat, Ed growled, "What the _hell_ are chimera doing loose around here? I am going to fucking _kill_ Mustang."

"Why do you always blame things on the Colonel?" Al asked, exasperation clearly tinging his voice.

"Because it covers all my bases. If I start blaming things on him when they happen I don't have to be as pissed off later."

"That... That makes an odd sort of sense."

Edward scoffed, deciding that didn't warrant an answer and clapped his hands together. Dropping to one knee he set his palms against the ground on a convenient patch of rock. Standing slowly he kept one hand lowered as he stood. The rock rippled, raising and sprouting in the middle in a crazy light show of alchemic energy to spawn his preferential spear.

He didn't want to get any closer to those nasty things than he had to.

Grabbing the spear he brought it around to grasp in both hands and held it there, the tip pointing slightly downwards, out toward the circle of chimera around them.

With a snarling hissing sound the chimera that had tried to ambush them finally shook off the slight confusion they were obviously feeling from the failure and launched itself at the two brothers. Edward immediately brought the spear lashing around and caught the beast in the side with the shaft and, as the arc of the attack continued, the chimera's forelegs forced up as it was knocked back and to the side, the blade scratched across the beast's side and belly.

Squealing in pain it hit the ground and forced itself back up on shaking legs while it's head thrashed from side to side.

Alphonse stepped forward into an on coming attack and brought his arm to the side, backhanding the chimera in the head hard enough to knock it unconscious.

No matter what motions they took the two brothers always returned to the same spot intent on keeping their backs to each other against the superior number of attackers. Neither wanted to get caught with their backs undefended in this kind of situation.

Jumping up Al unleashed a kick on a pouncing chimera that landed hard against it's rib cage and sent the beast flying into a nearby tree. Spinning with the momentum of his attack he landed and lost his footing on a patch of loose soil. His hands shot out to brace himself on his fingertips but before he could scramble back to his feet a pair of teeth latched onto the leg of his pants.

Al yelped in surprise when a sharp backward tug pulled his legs from under him and he hit the ground again. He could see as Edward turned to see what the matter was. The chimera Ed had been fending off latched onto his spear and began to drag his brother in the other direction snarling and mouthing the weapon angrily.

Getting his hands under him Al flipped himself over and kicked out his free leg at the chimera's head, once, twice, thrice. It snarled angrily in pain and backed off, head swinging from side to side. The creature stopped and lowered it's head to paw ineffectually at the hurt.

Quickly Alphonse began to scramble backwards to put some distance between him and the chimera, but the chimera recovered faster than he'd been expecting. It lowered to the ground slightly then sprung, arcing through the air with it's jaw's parted and saliva flying.

Al brought his right arm up to shield himself, eyes screwing closed as he waited for the pain of it biting into him.

Ed's voice came to him almost distantly as he yelled in a voice laden with terror and desperation.

"_Alphonse!!_"

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	11. ACT II, SECTION V

**A/N: **Okay. So, before anyone kills me for that cliffhanger here's Section 5. But... It's the last update you're getting for a bit. I want to finish a few more chapters before I post Section 6. Give me a day. Maybe two. And I'll update again if all goes according to plan. I'm currently writing Section 8, so I'm making good time. I have no idea how many Sections this Act is going to be, honestly. I don't think more than 15, and maybe not even that many...

Normally I avoid making OCs in fics, but I needed some supporting cast so I hope you like my military folks in this chapter. They're going to be around awhile, and I have to say I rather enjoy writing them myself.

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**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section V**

**words: 3945**

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Edward released the spear. The chimera yelped as the force pulling at the other end suddenly disappeared and it went sprawling. Whipping around he darted toward Al, but he knew it was already too late. The chimera would have hold of Al before he could get to them. Lifting his hands he prepared to clap.

Like thunder the rattle of machine gun fire erupted. A spray of bullets hit the leaping chimera as it arced through the air toward the downed Elric making the thing almost seem to explode. Blood sprayed in misty geysers from the perforated flesh.

Hot blood splashed across Al's cheek and tainted the fringe of his sandy hair. His eyes popped open. A gasp escaped him in shocked terror as he found himself face to face with the dead and bullet riddled corpse of the chimera. The things blood leaked out, pooling widely on the dark soil and creating an ever larger, ever darker stain.

Breath panting in his chest from the scare Ed dropped to his knees before he'd even really stopped and, as a result, skidded a few inches in the dirt. Reaching out Edward grabbed Alphonse around the shoulders and tugged him forcefully to him. His arms went around his younger brother who was shaking faintly. That had scared them both.

Lifting his hand Ed rested it on the back of Al's skull as Alphonse had buried his face against Edward's shoulder. A low rumbling growl from nearby reminded them rather rudely that they'd forgotten the other chimeras.

Ed screwed his eyes shut, clutching his brother to him and trying to curl himself protectively around Alphonse. At the very least maybe Al would be all right.

The expectation of pain never proved true. Instead more gun fire exploded around them. Bullets hit tree trunks, and tore through leaf cover; it hit soil and, more importantly, sliced through the screaming, snarling chimeras. Within a minute there was silence.

Neither of them were sure they wanted to look up. For all they knew their savior's could be the very people they'd escaped only yesterday.

A twig snapped as someone tread on it a few feet away.

"You boys all right?" A cheerful male voice asked.

"Aw... leave'em alone Ericsson." Another scolded. "_I _wouldn't be all right and I've _been_ there."

"That's because you're a wuss, Mackenzie." Ericsson returned blithely.

Slowly Ed lifted his head, eyes opening, and turned to look over his shoulder. There were four people, three men and a woman, standing not far away in tattered but familiar uniforms. They were obviously part of the military, but it looked like they'd seen better days. Several feet away from them were a few more people, though they were civilians. All of them were male and they appeared to be checking out the dead chimeras.

"Nasty pieces of work, these..." A large man, easily as tall as Ed remembered Armstrong being growled. He was almost as muscular too, though perhaps not quite as bulky. The brawny man stood up from examining one of the chimeras and picked up the spear Edward had tossed aside as he did so. The man examined it for a moment then nodded and glanced over, "It's a good weapon. I'd keep a hold of it."

Finally finding his voice Ed cast the man a lopsided smile, "It's easily replaceable." Unlike his brother.

There was an proud and understanding glint in the man's dark eyes as he nodded, "Keep it all the same."

Ed caught it around the shaft as it was tossed over to him, "I'll keep that in mind."

Alphonse finally pulled back and gave their savior's curious looks as he and Ed climbed to their feet.

The large man suddenly beamed, crows feet crinkling at the corners of his eyes, "I thought so." He grumbled, then louder. "You might not remember me, but I sure remember the two of you. Little Edward and Alphonse Elric. I haven't seen the two of you since... Well you were about ye high." The man held his hand down below his kneecap.

Edward growled loudly.

"Brother..." Alphonse sighed. "He didn't say anything."

Huffing, Edward crossed his arms as best he could around the spear he still clutched. "Says you."

Al turned his attention to the man, head tilted as he tried to remember. Obviously the man had known them when they were children...

"Ah!" Al exclaimed. "You're the Blacksmith! From Resembool!"

The old blacksmith gave a great belly laugh at that. "That's right! Theodore Mason at you're service."

Alphonse and Edward exchanged glances. Hope lit in them like an unstoppable fire. Al was the one to voice what they both wanted to know.

"Does that mean there are others from Resembool?"

Mason grinned easily and ran a hand over his bald head, "Yeah. There are other Resembool Refugees. A couple who I think will be rather glad to see you boys."

"That aside" The cheerful voice broke in again. The Elrics looked over to come face to face with a rather boyish faced man with blond hair and dancing gray eyes. "I'm Sergeant Major Levi Ericsson. The idiot over there is Sergeant Joseph Mackenzie." A rough looking man with an unshaven face and a scar marked lip set under lazy brown eyes and chestnut hair raised a hand in greeting. "The other two are Private Albert Donahue," A tall lanky man with a deep tan, sun-bleached blond hair and brown eyes nodded solemnly. "and Private Francis Leroy." A woman with frizzy red hair pinned up as strictly as possible, though many of the crazy curls still escaped, set over a round face sprinkled in freckles and wickedly twinkling green eyes winked at them.

All of them were armed with obviously military issue firearms to go with their uniforms.

"You're from the Military?" Ed asked. It was obvious, true, but there was more to asking the question than just confirmation of the obvious.

"Sure." Ericsson agreed in a chipper manner.

"They saved us." Mason put in gruffly. "If they hadn't been in Resembool when they were more of us probably would have died."

"We just finished a tour of duty down on the Areugo front." Donahue spoke up. He had a deep solemn voice. "We were on our way back to Central to report in and had stopped off in Resembool."

"They always said I had crazy luck." Leroy said. Her voice was quick and bubbly as though she were always rushing to get her words out. "What they failed to tell me was that it wasn't always good for me."

"Anyway..." Mackenzie broke in drolly. "We've decided to escort the refugees to a safer place before we head on to Central to make our report. It's the least we can do."

"After all..." Leroy chirped. "What else do we get paid for."

The brother's exchanged looks and cracked smiles. They had a feeling these four wouldn't be too bad.

"Come on." Theo Mason said. "We're camped out not far from here. That's why we heard the ruckus."

Ed hesitated a moment then, "We ran into some Refugees from some other towns north along the line from Resembool. They're a bit back."

Ericsson exchanged glances with the other three then shrugged, "Technically you're the C.O. here, Major Elric."

Edward sputtered in surprise, "I.. What?"

The man gave him a lopsided grin. "You were never taken off the rosters. I don't know what happened but everyone still knows who the Fullmetal Alchemist was, is, pardon me Sir. They had you on Inactive as far as we know. Classified. Need to know basis. That was the rumors around the headquarters anyway."

"All right..." Ed wasn't really sure how to respond to that. He'd never expected to _be_ in this situation. But, he'd try. "Al? Why don't you take a Donahue and Leroy and get the refugees. We'll wait for you here."

"Sure thing, Brother!" Al replied. It was obvious by the look in his eyes that he was amused by the whole thing. Ed always did manage to find himself in the oddest situations.

As the three headed off Ed turned back to Ericsson looking a bit confused, "I've never..."

Ericsson winked at him. "Don't worry, Sir, we'll help you out."

Immensely relieved, Ed smiled thankfully. "Thanks." Face shifting back into a more serious mien he asked. "Do you know what's been going on?"

Mackenzie and Ericsson both shook their heads before Mackenzie spoke up, "Afraid not. We've been out on the Areugo border for the last few years. The news we get out there isn't much, and it's gotten even worse lately. Guess we know why now."

Edward looked toward Mason questioningly. The bald man shrugged.

"You know as well as I do that we don't get much information out here. But what we do know... Well, I think it's best to wait and explain that once we're all settled."

It was sound logic so Ed let it go.

* * *

Al lead the way back through the forest with Donahue and Leroy walking a step behind and to either side of him. It was fairly quiet as they went though birds were singing in the trees while an riot of insects buzzed and chirped.

"Sooo..." Leroy piped up. "The infamous Elric brothers huh?"

A dark flush bloomed across Al's cheeks. "I don't know about that..." He mumbled. Ahead he could hear the sound of people moving and speaking. As a thought occurred to he stopped. "I.. Just, don't mention who Brother is yet, please? One of the people... They said some really nasty things about Brother and I don't want trouble to start up just yet."

It was inevitable that they would find out fairly quickly. Resembool was pretty proud of having produced the Fullmetal Alchemist. And Winry sure as hell wouldn't stand for someone maligning either of them in her hearing.

He almost felt bad for the old man. Almost.

But he'd hurt his brother too much for him to _really_ feel bad. In fact, he almost hoped Winry tore into him. It seemed almost justifiable.

"Will do." Leroy said agreeably. "Not a problem."

Donahue didn't bother answering, and Leroy sent the tall man an amused look.

"He says he won't either. Don't worry though, he rarely speaks anyway."

Alphonse smothered a laugh and lead the two through the last bit of forest and into the clearing he'd left not so long ago. Klose immediately jumped up at the sight of Al emerging from the trees.

"Alphonse!" She ran over toward him, then paused. "Where's Ed?"

"It's a long story but..."

The rest of the refugees in the clearing looked up. Their faces immediately became wary as Donahue and Leroy stepped into view.

Al rubbed the back of his head. "We ran into these guys. Their with the Resembool refugees."

Klose's face fell. "Are.. you two leaving then?"

Alphonse blinked, a bit confused as he stared at her. Then it hit him. She thought that he and Ed were going to abandon her, and the rest of the refugees here.

"Oh, no! We were hoping you would all come as well. I mean, it's safer right?"

Klose's face lit up and she whirled around, grinning. "Did you hear that? They want us to come with! They found the people from Resembool!"

The little clearing had been full of activity by now. Mother's soothing hungry children when the food they were offered barely sated their aching bellies, and people sniping at each other over what little they had. All of them stopped as one and turned to look toward them. Around the fire the obvious leaders of the group conferred for a moment.

"It's the best decision." Patrick said after a moment. "We should go."

The old man who had insulted Ed spoke up, "And split up what little we have left? I dare say we don't even have enough to feed ourselves let alone _more_ people!"

"Oh put a sock in it you old codger." Leroy quipped from beside Alphonse, surprising the blond. "I know your type. Never happy about anything. We've got enough to take care of ourselves,1 and if everyone pulls their weight we'll be fine. Now come on! Let's go! Chop chop!"

Despite the old man's continued complaints it seemed the rest of the people were in agreement and began gathering their things. Klose, Alphonse, and Karin made for the orphans to help them get going and, after a few minutes of watching, Leroy joined them.

The peppy red head extended a hand to Karin and Klose to shake, "I'm Francis Leroy. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you to, Ms. Leroy." Klose replied politely. "I'm Klose and she's Karin."

"Just call me Francy." Leroy said cheerfully. "It's less of a mouthful. Same goes for all you pipsqueaks."

"Heeey..." One of the kids whined.

"No time to argue, kiddos! Pip pip!"

Alphonse pressed a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. Francy Leroy really was a character. Giving a sly look at Klose he said, "That was better than the welcome you gave Brother and me when we met you."

Klose grinned at him, "Don't complain or I'll get my friends and we'll give you a proper welcome again."

Once everyone was ready to move out Alphonse, walking between Patrick and Karin, followed by Klose with her group of orphans, lead the way back toward Edward and the others with Donahue and Leroy bringing up the rear.

* * *

Ed made a face as two of the men from Resembool, trappers by profession, set about skinning the chimeras. They were also hacking off chunks of meat. _They_ said they were perfectly edible but Edward wasn't sure if he wanted to believe them. The old blacksmith was laughing heartily at his expression.

One of the trappers paused in his bloody job and held up a hand for silence. Through the trees the sound of many people walking could be heard. As a result when Al emerged from the foliage followed by the rest of the group none of them were caught by surprise.

Leroy and Donahue wound their way to the front of the group and saluted with their guns.

"All present and accounted for, Sir!" Leroy chirped. "And... Oh my Great Aunt Penny what are you _doing_ with those things."

Ericsson laughed at the look of mismatched revulsion and curiosity on the woman's face while Mackenzie drawled, "Waste not, want not Francy."

"Right." Leroy said, easily regaining her bubbly good cheer. "Wizard burgers for lunch and supper it is."

"Wizard...?" Edward asked incredulously, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Mmhmm. Wolf and Lizard, my friend. Wizard."

Alphonse sniggered loudly at the look on Ed's face. It was obvious his brother wasn't going to touch that one and didn't even know if he wanted to. Francy winked at the younger Elric and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Finally, a man who understands my humor." She sighed.

"We understand you're humor fine, Francy." Ericsson said blandly. "We just try not to."

"Hey now..."

The banter continued as the trappers kept at their work. Alphonse sidled over to Ed's side. The two seemed to be encompassed by a quiet bubble.

"Did you find anything out?" Al asked softly.

Edward gave his head a slight shake. "Not much. They don't know much more than we do from what I gather. Mason promised we'd all have a nice little chat once we met up with the others from Resembool."

Alphonse gave a sharp nod. "I asked Donahue and Leroy to watch it a bit about who you are but..."

"But they'll know soon enough. It's not even really a secret."

"Yes," Al agreed. "But I figure it's best if it waits until we're all together. Then if they want to argue there's less chance of something going terribly wrong."

"And Winry can defend my honor." Ed pointed out drily, giving Al an amused look.

Al flushed slightly. "That too."

Edward's hand came up, grabbed Al by the back of the head, and shoved him forward playfully. "I hardly think I need that machine maniac to stand up for me!"

Laughingly Al called back as he moved away from Ed, "Says the one who can't stand up to her when she's got her favorite wrench!"

"That has nothing to do with it!" Ed insisted vehemently. Though the smirk on his face assured that he didn't mean anything by it. "I simply don't want that sadist to give me more pain when she's refitting my automail than necessary!"

"Is that denial I hear?" Alphonse sing-songed.

"Alphonse!"

Much to the amusement of the others, and the children in particular, they found themselves treated to entertainment via the elder Elric brother chasing his younger sibling around them as he made strangling motions.

There were five chimera all in all, and the trappers skinned and dressed each one of them. Even the parts under the scales didn't go untouched. They then used the skins cut from the more wolf-like front half as makeshift sacking. Edward snagged his spear from where he'd left it leaning against a tree then went over to accept one of the skins of meat from them. He slung it over his automail shoulder so it would be easier to carry.

Alphonse took another, and each of the two trappers took one. Mason the Blacksmith took the last.

Adjusting his spear so that the shaft rested over his free shoulder, blade upward, Ed curled his arm over the pole and nodded for Ericsson to lead the way.

"I think we're ready to move on?"

A glance around showed that most of the people were eager to get moving. None of them seemed particularly keen at the idea of remaining surrounded by what was left of the chimera corpses. Some of them even looked a bit ill.

Ericsson took the lead while Mackenzie, Donahue, and Leroy all held back to take up the rear. Ed and Al walked alongside Ericsson with Karin, Patrick, and Mason coming up just behind them.

"How long ago was Resembool attacked?" Patrick asked from behind them.

"A few days ago." Ericsson answered quietly. "It's not even been an entire week. We managed to keep them at bay long enough to get people retreating. Some wouldn't come though. Some wanted to fight back. It was a loosing battle. The bastards were armed and out numbered us but good. We probably would be dead now too but some of the them," he jerked his head back at Mason, "grabbed weapons from the rebels we killed and helped us fight them. We've actually managed a pretty decent arsenal because of that."

"Rebels?" Edward queried, eyes narrowing in thought. "You think this was done by rebels?"

Ericsson shrugged helplessly. "I can't be sure, but who else would do it? The front lines have been quiet lately. That's why we were on our way home. There's hardly any fighting and the Fuhrer's been recalling as many troops as the front lines can spare. Something's obviously going on."

That gave them something to chew on as the hike continued. The forestry only got thicker the further in they went, though if one knew the area well enough one could find large paths that had been used to transport goods before the rail line went in.

As it was this area was more off the beaten track and they had to push through the vegetation and clamber over some rocky terrain. It turned out that the reason they'd been heard so well was less a close distance and more acoustics. The place where the Resembool refugees had chosen to camp was just off one of those old roadways in a large clearing. It was perched on a bit of a rocky shelf that could be easily scaled by a mildly steep path so long as they walked up one or two at a time.

At the top of the rise it was only a short walk back along the top of the cliff to the camp. As they stepped out of the trees and into the sunlit clearing there was an obvious the difference between the Resembool refugees and the ones they'd already encountered.

For instance the people of Resembool had managed to save a great deal of livestock. There was a decent herd of sheep watched over by several shepherds in one corner. There was also a mule tied up with a few horses and oxen. They even had a few carts some of which had things in them. The carts had cages tied to the sides of them with chickens clucking away idly. Edward could even pick out a heifer or two over near the sheep.

They even had a few actual tents. They looked to be military issue, and Ed guessed they belonged to the four military personnel.

Three fires were burning and the smell of cooking breakfast filled the air with a mouth watering quality.

Ericsson grinned jauntily as he sauntered forward, "Hey guys, we've got company for breakfast today!"

Heads came up all around the clearing. Ed stepped forward with Alphonse dogging his steps. The two of them glanced around for the familiar sight of bright blond hair. It didn't take long to find her: She was dressed as usual in the pale jumpsuit, turned down to the waist with the black tube top visible.

Winry stared for several seconds. It obviously she wasn't registering what she was seeing. Then, it appeared to click almost visibly. The brother's childhood friend threw herself to her feet and tore across the clearing in a few seconds flat. Edward quickly dropped the spear and skin he was carrying as her intent became clear.

She was barely a few feet away when Winry literally threw herself forward, arms extended, and into Ed's arms.

"Edward!"

The sound of her voice made it obvious she was crying. Her arms clutched around his neck and Ed wrapped his own around her shaking shoulders.

"Hey, Winry." He said quietly.

"You idiot! I never thought I was going to see you again!"

Winry pulled back, sniffling, then whirled away and threw herself at Alphonse as well. Ed lifted a hand to hind the grin that came to his face when his younger brother blushed like no tomorrow.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again!" Winry scolded as she finally pulled back, then shot a hot glare over at Ed. "_Neither_ of you!"

"I'm sorry we worried you, Winry." Al said sincerely, voice tinged with sadness. "But we're back home now."

Maybe Resembool had gotten destroyed, and maybe the Rockbell home was in ruins but as Pinako strolled over, teeth clacking on the stem of her pipe and an amused quirk to her lips and eyes that were lit with welcome, they were finally home.

Because where was home if not in the hearts of the people who loved you the most?

* * *


	12. ACT II, SECTION VI

**A/N: **Promised myself I'd update today whether I'd reached my quota or not. As it is I nearly reached it. I'm currently working on Section 10. Either way...

The truth is finally reveled about why Act II is named as it is. Enjoy. ;]

**

* * *

**

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section VI**

**words: 4723**

* * *

"So..." Pinako said, eyes crinkling with wicked humor as she glanced Edward up and down. "You finally grew up some did you?"

He was actually taller than Winry by a few inches.

Ed grinned and preened then said rather cattily, "Unlike some people I know who seem to be _shrinking_."

The old woman narrowed her eyes, "Watch it. You're still runty."

Immediately the blond bristled, "Says you, you micro hag!"

"Delinquent Dwarf!"

"Miniature Grandma!"

"Undersized Shrimp!"

As the the two continued yelling insults back and forth at each other, nearly nose to nose, the others watched on in surprise. Alphonse glanced over to see the refugees that they'd brought with them, and the four from the military, were looking completely shocked. The people from Resembool, however, didn't seem at all affected.

"Well..." Al said blithely. "Looks like they're happy to see each other."

Beside him Winry looked away from the arguing duo to examine the look of serene amusement on Alphonse's face and, after a moment, broke down laughing. One arm clutching her stomach the young woman tried to regain control but every time she heard another insult, or caught sight of the confused people and Alphonse she just started up again. By the time her fit began to subside into chuckles there were tears running down her cheeks once more.

They didn't cease. Despite how she bit her lip and drew her brows, despite how she tried to stop her hiccuping sobs... Nothing she did seem to stop the tears. Winry turned and grabbed hold of Al again.

Shocked and confused by this display of emotion from the normally tough girl Alphonse lifted his hands halfway, and paused for a beat before slowly wrapping his arms around her.

"Winry..."

"I was so... sad..." She hiccuped through her sobs. "You both left me behind and went somewhere I could never follow. I knew it was goodbye that day. I could just tell!"

The arguing duo had stopped in the face of Winry's breakdown. Ed stood beside Pinako watching his little brother comfort their childhood friend with a peculiar look of satisfaction and nostalgia. Pinako tilted her head slightly and looked up at him with an inquiring brow raised.

Ed returned the look with a frank gaze.

"Hmm..." Pinako gave that secretive smile of her's and stuck her pipe back between her lips. "Let's give them some time alone shall we?"

Edward smirked and, after picking up his spear, began to walk away. He could talk to Winry later. Right now he'd leave her in Alphonse's capable hands. Al had always been better at the whole comforting and emotional thing anyway. If Ed tried he'd probably just make her cry more. Or end up knocked unconscious.

Neither was a good outcome.

Everyone else began moving away as well to join the others around the fires and give the two as much privacy as they possibly could.

"I'm sorry, Winry..." Al murmured sadly. What could he say, really?

"This is so stupid." She muttered pulling back slightly and sniffling. She squinted through her tear clogged eyelashes at Al's soaked gray coat. "I'm sorry, Al. I didn't mean to cry all over you like that."

Alphonse offered her a sad smile, "It's not stupid, Winry. You have every right to cry, and my jacket doesn't matter. It'll dry. Besides considering everything else that's on it, and me, a little tears aren't going to do anything."

She laughed a watery sound, but happy nonetheless. "You always manage to do that Al. Make me laugh even when I feel so down." Even as the words left her Winry's face shifted into sadness, blue eyes looking misty and lost in time.

"I know." Al said quietly, fully understanding the look in her eyes. Winry didn't know he _remembered_ now. "And I'll be here to do it for however long you want me to be."

Winry's head snapped up, blue eyes hopeful as she stared at the younger Elric. "You mean... Al... Do... do you remember now?"

The shy smile that Al sent her was all the confirmation she needed and, without further ado, Winry threw herself at him again. She was crying once more as well, but these were tears of happiness. She was practically jumping up and down as she hugged him.

"I'm so happy for you, Al!"

"Thanks Winry."

Meanwhile Edward had found himself roped into helping Klose with the orphan brats. In fact, somehow, he'd been volunteered for piggy back rides it seemed. He had one in such a position now while another smaller toddler clung to his automail leg and went for a ride. The rest of the pack followed, giggling at him the entire time.

"You horrible monsters." Ed whined. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

It didn't take long for the other kids in the area to join in the game. Before Ed knew what hit him they were seeing how many could cling to him and still move. Eventually he found his knees giving out as kids pulled down on his arms, torso, and weighted his legs. The kids scrambled out of the way, laughing, and Ed found himself face down in the dirt.

Lifting his head up he blew his bangs out of his face, scattering a bit of dust as he did so. The children were circled around him, staring down at the prone young man. After waiting long enough that the kids were starting to edge closer he suddenly flailed out sending them running and screaming. Jumping quickly to his feet he tore off after them.

Klose was left in stitches as she laughed at Ed's antics from where she was sitting with Pinako, her father, Karin, and a few others.

Private Leroy, who was standing near by, lifted her hand in the air as she cheered. "You get'em, Sir! Show them that no pack of kids can beat you!"

"I'm not so sure about that, Francy!" Ed yelled back as he skidded to a halt, turned, and ran back the other way. The kids had rallied and turned to chase their pursuer.

Leroy broke down into whooping laughter.

Den, laying at Pinako's side, barked merrily then clambered to his paws to join in the game.

"Ed sure seems to be having fun." Winry piped up as she and Al joined them.

Alphonse snickered as they watched Ed get tackled into the dirt again. Den trounced over and began to wash the downed blond's face with a great deal of enthusiasm that sent Ed into a fit of hollering.

Al's smile took on a sad tilt as he said quietly, "It reminds me... of Nina."

No one asked, and for that Al was grateful. That story, and the memory of that little girl, was probably always going to be a raw point for them no matter how many years passed.

"He wasn't this... happy... when I last saw him." Winry said instead.

"I'm not really sure if happy is the right word." Alphonse admitted soberly. "We've learned to cope with things over the years and keep moving forward. But, maybe now we can find a way to be truly happy."

Winry was looking at him sadly now, and the others were gazing off at different points. It was Karin that broke the silence next.

"You boys have had a rough life it seems."

Al gave the older woman a bashful smile. "Don't think badly of me when I say you have no idea."

"Was it... bad... where you two were?" Winry questioned softly. Al could tell from the look on her face that she wasn't sure she wanted to know, but had to ask anyway. She'd made it clear to them before that she didn't appreciate them trying to deal with things all on their own. She _wanted_ to be there for them as best she could.

"It wasn't bad, and I'm sure we would have been fine there. But... I'm not sure either of us could have been _truly_ happy there. That place was just missing too much."

Family, friends, alchemy, the land itself; it had all been different and while there were some similarities... Well it was impossible not to feel alienated. It just wasn't _home_.

"Well, you're home now." Winry said sharply. "And you'd both best _stay_ here or I'm going to kick your asses!"

Al ducked his head, hand flying up to cup the back of his skull. Eyes closed as he let a half grin crawl into place. "Of course, Winry."

When he glanced up to make sure she wasn't going to start laying into him with her beloved wrench he found her looking at him with a fond half smile that brought the blush back to his cheeks. He couldn't help but notice that Klose was looking at her with something close to hero worship.

That probably wasn't good.

Winry didn't need an apprentice!

Ed came over just then, dragging kids from all his limbs again. Slanting a lopsided grin at them all he settled his golden gaze on Winry. "Winry could I get you to...?" he trailed off and looked down at the kid clinging to his automail arm. "Shove off, would you, ya little leech?"

The little girl in question giggled at him, but obliged and let go. Ed lifted his automail hand and waved it at Winry to make his point.

Winry rolled her eyes at him, but there was a smile on her face that softened the bite in her words. "Of course, Edward. Why else would you need me?"

"Yeah, why else?" Ed taunted. "I mean who wants a machine maniac girl who beats people with wrenches!"

Said machine maniac had already been walking away as Ed dislodged the kids clinging to him. She paused, turning her head slowly to glare over her shoulder.

"_What_ was _that, _Edward?" Winry gritted out.

Coughing and looking suddenly uneasy Ed replied with a meek, "Nothing, Winry."

"Come on, Ed."

"Coming Winry."

As Edward shuffled after the irate blond woman Klose snickered and gave Al a side long look. "Man, she has you two well trained." The girl heaved a sigh. "I want to be like _her_ when I grow up."

Al sighed, his fears seemed to be coming to pass. Slumping his shoulders he muttered morosely. "I hope you never meet First Lieutenant Hawkeye..."

Pinako reached over and patted the side of Al's leg consolingly but the smirk she wore told the tale. She was amused by the situation, no doubt about it.

* * *

Edward followed Winry to one of the carts where she stopped to pull a case from under the front seat. Leave it to Winry to save her tools. The thought made him smile. Winry headed around to the other side of the cart and he tailed her. It seemed the industrious young woman had used a bit of canvas to create a lean to of sorts utilizing the side of the cart.

Winry gave him a slight grin, "It's not as good as a workshop, but it will do for now. I can't do much more than a routine check over and tune up... but.."

"That's fine. I'll take what I can get."

The two crawled into the lean to and Ed went about shedding jacket, vest, and shirt while Winry opened her case and began digging through it.

"Oh, I hope I have what I need. I just grabbed what I could..." She muttered to herself. After grabbing a few of her tools she sidled over to him on her knees and pulled his automail arm out so that sunlight glanced off of it. Leaning over his arm she sighed at it. "Oh my poor automail..."

Ed coughed, hiding a grin. "Sorry. They don't exactly have automail where I was."

She gave him a despairing look that wouldn't have been out of place on a puppy that had been deprived of a treat. Then in a no nonsense voice asked, "Flex your fingers."

He complied, watching the now familiar catch in the motion. Winry frowned at it and gave him a dirty look.

"What did you do to it?"

"It's not my fault." Ed defended. "I can't help that...--" Edward trailed off noticing the narrow eyed look Winry was giving him, and amended quickly. "So there might have been a fight and I punched someone. I can't help that his face knocked something loose."

Winry glared darkly at him and began gently bending Ed's automail fingers one at a time. "Punching someone in the face shouldn't have knocked something loose, Ed. My workmanship's better than that!"

"Well, after a year of wear and tear and without any real maintenance..." Edward grumbled looking down and to the side where Winry had set up a sleeping bag. "I tried to keep it in as good a shape as I could. If it broke... No more automail."

"Ed..."

Ed looked up and found himself looking into sad blue eyes. Wanting to stave off the possibility of tears he quickly went on, eyes only minimally wide. "But that's fine now. We're here and you're here so there's no problem. Right?"

The mechanic rolled her eyes at him and reached for another tool so she could fiddle with the joints. However when she picked it up part of it didn't come with.

"Ah! Blast it. I thought I grabbed the other one..." She whimpered holding up the broken pieces. "Hold on. I'm sure I have another one, or something that will work..."

Before she could go check Ed tsked at her. "Oh come on Winry... Are you forgetting who I am?" Reaching over Ed took the two pieces from her and set them on the ground before him then brought his hands together in a well known gesture.

"Ed..." Winry started.

Ignoring her Edward put his hands to the tool and, in a flash of alchemic light, the two became one again. Grinning lopsidedly he held the tool out to it's owner. When Winry didn't take it right away he studied her face more closely. She was looking at him with a peculiar, stunned expression.

"What's the matter, Winry? You've seen me do alchemy before..." He pointed out logically, the lopsided grin still on his face though it was loosing a bit of its veracity in the face of Winry's strange behavior.

Ed couldn't really see what the problem was. His face slowly melted into a baffled look as Winry's face turned confused, then solemn.

Slowly Winry reached out and took the tool from Ed's hand. She turned it over in her fingers examining the flawless remaking of it. Finally she lifted her gaze to meet Ed's and said softly, "Yes, but Ed... They're saying that Alchemy has stopped working."

For a moment he felt like he couldn't breathe. "What?"

That couldn't be right. He'd heard her wrong, or she was just messing with him. There's no way that alchemy could just _stop working_. Besides he could use it fine.

"I don't know, but..." Winry whispered. She was refusing to look at him. "Awhile ago people started saying that alchemy just stopped _working_. I don't think anyone knows how, or why..."

"But I can do it." Ed insisted, voice strained.

"I know, but Ed..." Winry looked up to him, blue eyes frankly sincere and wholly confused. "I'm not lying."

He didn't know why, but panic was starting to swamp him. She had to be mistaken. Some weird rumor to stir people up, or something. A kid playing a prank. It had to be someones idea of a joke. Ed leaned to the side and braced himself on his automail arm.

"Alphonse!"

Al was an alchemist too. They could test this really easily, and Ed was sure everything would work out to be just fine. His heart thumped in his chest so hard it felt more like it was fluttering. His lungs didn't seem like they could get enough air. This couldn't be happening... It just _couldn't._

"Coming, Brother!"

It took every ounce of control Ed had to keep calm and not show the panic and desperation he was feeling. He wanted nothing more than to break down into hysterical denial.

Al crouched down, bracing his hands on his knees and peered at the two. Immediately he felt wary. Winry was looking at the ground, her hands braced on the calf of one leg, and Ed... Well that haunted look he hadn't seen since he'd been stuck in the armor was back in his eyes. He hadn't expected to, nor wanted to, see that look ever again.

"What's wrong?"

He sincerely hoped it was nothing more than Ed's automail being in bad shape and having to wait to fix it, he greatly doubted it though.

"Al." Ed said. It was the controlled tone of his voice, so tight and reigned in, that really put Alphonse on guard. Edward was _never_ that restrained. "Have you done any alchemy yet?"

Al's brows furrowed in confusion, but he shook his head. "No, I hadn't really thought about it."

After living the past year or so without it, he'd just reacted physically. It wasn't like he couldn't defend himself just fine anyway. He had always been the better of them at martial arts.

"Do some."

Giving Ed a weird look he decided not to ask and simply gave into his brother's strange command. Casting about Al spotted a rock on the ground nearby and grabbed it. Squatting down he quickly used a finger to sketch a transmutation circle in the dirt with the ease of long knowledge and familiarity. Some things just didn't fade.

Dumping the rock in the provided center he set his hands to the edge and waited.

Nothing happened.

He didn't even feel the up swell of power that usually came with a transmutation.

Confused and curious Al checked his circle over. It was as close to perfect as he could make it. All of the components were in place. Every line and design to channel the flow and mold it to his will was there. Cold panic suddenly gripped him.

"Brother!" He yelped, voice cracking and squeaking. "You don't think... Did going there do this? Or what if.. What if _It_ took it away?!"

There was always a price, damn it! They knew that better than just about anyone.

Edward couldn't answer even as horror engulfed his little brother's voice. He'd frozen, mind spinning as a thousand thoughts, ideas, and realizations assailed him.

The Gate had been right.

They really _had_ caused all this. Ed wasn't exactly sure how the destruction of towns connected except, perhaps, that it meant Amestris' power was weakening without their alchemists, but that was the crux of it.

Amestris' power base had been built on the State Alchemists for time out of mind. If there was no alchemy...

He couldn't even begin to envision what the fall out from that could be, and it was _their_ fault.

Faintly he could hear Winry's voice as she tried to calm Alphonse down and explained what she'd just told Ed. He couldn't really make out her words through the ringing in his ears.

_...But, of course. The power for Alchemy comes through the Gate. The connection is the key. The deaths in that war torn Other World power it..._

Ed's hand flew up to clamp over his mouth. While he wasn't physically trembling even the voice of his thoughts in his mind sounded shaky. He hadn't thought that it was a thing that could be disrupted, the connection, but apparently it was. A vision of the Gate, half broken and falling apart flashed before his mind's eye and he was afraid he was going to get sick.

"But, Brother can still...?"

Al's voice broke through the bubble of frozen silence that had surrounded him. It was like sudden suction as everything came apart and pulled back together in correct alignment.

"It seems like it." Winry was saying. "I'm not really sure I understand why, but..." She looked back down at the tool Edward had previously fixed.

That was another thing. Why _could_ he still do alchemy if other people apparently couldn't? A few theories came to mind.

For one he was probably tied more closely to the Gate than just about anyone else alive. He'd been through it, seen it, dealt with it, far more than even Alphonse. He was also the only one still alive who could transmute without needing to draw circles.

And, the Gate apparently wanted him to fix this. Or maybe it just wanted him to see this and suffer for what he had done to it. He didn't think he'd ever know for sure.

"Brother?"

"Ed?"

"Brother?!"

"ED_WARD_!"

Ed jerked out of his thoughts to find both Alphonse and Winry were leaning right in front of him. He stared at them in surprise, nearly going cross eyed from the close proximity, and blinked once or twice to clear away the remaining fog.

"What?"

"You were spacing out, you idiot." Winry huffed irately.

"We asked you if you had any ideas on what's going on." Al butted in before the two could start bickering. "But you didn't answer."

The look Alphonse was pinning him with told Ed well enough that his brother was _sure_ Ed knew more about this than they did.

He didn't want to tell Al about his theories; he really didn't. Edward had never even told him about the source of power behind alchemy. He doubted Al would ever be able to forgive himself if he knew the truth of it. Ed shook his head slowly, and spoke softly, "Who knows? It could be anything. We don't really have that much information now do we?"

"Edward..." Winry began. She didn't seem to think he was giving them the luxury of full disclosure either.

"You're right." Al said quickly. "When did it even happen, Winry?"

Ed could only be grateful to Al right then for letting it go. Al was always so god damned understanding! He always seemed to know when Ed was hiding things, and often forced Edward to spill for his own good. But sometimes... Sometimes Al seemed to know Ed was hiding things for a reason and just let him be. Ed still wasn't sure if this was just some sort of weird patience based wearing down tactic or what.

He just hoped Al knew how grateful he was. He wasn't sure he could articulate it right now. Most certainly not in front of Winry after she'd just been distracted.

Winry sighed and absently grabbed Ed's automail hand. Leaning over it she set to work as she replied, "Sometime within the last year. I'm not really sure when. You know how news travels."

And the fact that the military had probably tried to keep something like full scale alchemical failure hush hush for as long as possible...

"There's not much we can do about it at any rate. At least not right now." Alphonse said at last. "There's more important things to focus on right now. But Brother..."

"Yeah." Ed said quietly. His eyes were focused on Winry as she fiddled with the joints of his fingers. "I'll be discrete."

There was no telling what would happen if the wrong people found out that he still retained the ability to perform alchemy. It could be very bad indeed.

Al nodded and stood back up. Idly he dusted his pants off; not that it helped much. He didn't think there was any chance of saving his cloths at that point.

"I'm going to go get us something to eat before it's all gone."

"Sure, and Al?" Ed said as he suddenly grinned mischievously.

"Yes, Brother?"

"Clean that blood off your face before you scare someone."

Alphonse squeaked in surprise and reached up. Sure enough bits of dried blood flaked off his cheek and onto his hand. "Why didn't anyone say anything?!"

"I just did, didn't I?" Ed drawled.

Alphonse glared at him, "Look who's talking."

"Hey!" Edward yelped. "I can't wash a bruise off!"

Al ignored him as he walked away.

Winry looked up, taking in the bruise on the side of Ed's face for the first time. She heaved a sigh that seemed to say she really should be expecting this sort of thing by now.

"Oh, Ed..."

She reached out, touching the tips of her fingers gently to his bruised face.

"I'm fine, Winry. Really. It's just a little bruising."

She seemed to snap out of it then, flushing as she realized what she was doing. "Just a little... Oooh, you. I'll give you a _little_ bruising!" Then quieter she added. "I just worry about you. _Both_ of you. You always manage to get yourselves into such dangerous situations." Winry shook her head and bent back to her task. "Be quiet and let me finish with this."

Ed could only laugh. He got a swat to his flesh leg for his troubles.

Sitting back he let her work, occasionally moving his arm when she demanded it of him. Now that Alphonse had clued him in, he could easily see the careful way she handled his automail and the great attention she was putting into it. Thinking of the way she'd gone all misty eyed on him when she'd seen the bruising too... He didn't know how he'd missed it, but Al had said it best: He'd been so focused he'd let a lot of the world pass him by.

Watching her now he could imagine that, if things had been different, maybe he could have loved her. Had he thought about it earlier in life then maybe he could feel about her the way she seemed to want him to. As it stood now, though, he knew he couldn't. Not only could he not do that to his brother, but there were things he had to do still. The Uranium Bomb was still out there, and obviously there was this mess Amestris seemed to be in as of now.

Edward had a feeling he'd be walking another long path.

No, it was best he find a moment to talk with Winry about this soon. He refused to let her continue hoping when he knew it couldn't happen. It was unkind.

"There!" Winry cheered. "That should do it for now. Not as good as I could do." She added ruefully and reached for a little container of oil to see to the joints. "But it should be fine. If it starts catching again let me know and we'll fix it up. Do I need to look at your leg?"

"Nah, its fine." Ed said, patting said leg.

"Uhm... Ed..." Winry started. She idly twirled a stand of hair around one of her fingers, chewing on her lip, but before she could say anything more the sound of footsteps approaching drew their attention and Winry dropped whatever subject she'd been meaning to bring up.

Alphonse had returned with the promised food. He handed it down to them, one plate to each, then ducked down to join them while Ed held his.

"Here we go. Oh, and Ed? Ericsson asked us to find him after we're done. Something about needing to have a meeting."

"Thanks Al."

Winry sighed happily, giving them a goofy grin. "It's so great to have you back."

"It's great to _be_ back." The brother's chorused.

The three childhood friends fell to laughing over their food. Grateful to be mostly healthy, mostly happy, and reunited.

* * *


	13. ACT II, SECTION VII

**A/N: **Shouldn't be posting this yet, but I really dislike going to long without updating.

Blargh. I'm so tired...

Also, on a note that I haven't mentioned... Yes, I realized Mustang was promoted to General at the end there (Before he demoted himself anyway...), but I'm going by the theory Alphonse doesn't know that, nor does Ed. Al didn't remember them so I doubt he'd have kept up with news in regards... and Winry, while he called that time in the Movie... Well, I don't think she quite likes Mustang so... Yeah.

They'll be corrected eventually about Mustang's rank when they see him again. Which, coincidentally, won't be until Act III... -coughhack.-

* * *

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section VII**

**words: 4978**

* * *

"He's over there. With Patrick and Mr. Mason." Alphonse said, pointing across the camp to where Ericsson could be seen talking in low tones with the aforementioned men.

"All right." Ed said as he shrugged his jacket back on. "Let's go see what he wants."

"I'll see you two later." Winry piped up.

"Of course." Al chirped, waving her away.

She grinned at them then turned on her heel and headed toward her grandmother, Karin, and Klose. Ed and Al made their way toward the three men, having to dodge children and a barking Den as they did. Everyone seemed to be settling into the camp well enough, and a few of the people called greetings to them as they walked by.

"Major Elric, Alphonse." Ericsson greeted, breaking off his current conversation as the brother's joined them.

Edward smiled crookedly, "Just call me Ed."

Ericsson smiled back at him, but didn't agree nor disagree and instead looked across the camp. The two brothers followed the direction of his gaze to see Leroy look up. Ericsson made an abrupt motion with his hand and Leroy bobbed her head before turning away and moving off.

Ericsson flashed them a boyish smile. "She's getting the rest. We all need to have a little party."

"Somehow," Al mused. "I don't think you mean that in a good way."

The Sergeant Major winked at him. "I'm afraid we don't have the alcohol for that."

Edward shot him a scowl at the thought of anyone giving his little brother alcohol. The scowl only deepened when Ericsson grinned unrepentantly at him. While Al was only chronologically and mentally a year younger than him, his physical body was still only that of a fourteen year old damn it!

"I'm sure we could find some somewhere if we really wanted to." Pinako's sly voice spoke up behind him and Edward nearly jumped out of his skin.

Al was grinning in that lazy way he'd learned from Ed himself that suggested he'd noticed them being joined. Slowly Ed turned around to find he was being watched by an amused looking Leroy as well. Along with the two women were Donahue, Mackenzie, and Karin.

"Looks like we're all here." Ericsson said. "Come on then, there's a lot to discuss."

As the man lead them over Leroy piped up, "I don't know Big Sarge, maybe we should leave the Major to babysit the kids. I don't know if he's ready for the big kids party."

And, for the first time since he'd ended up on the other side of the Gate that first time Ed blew up, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING TOO SMALL TO SIT AT THE ADULTS TABLE SO HE HAS TO SIT AT THE UGLY MULTI-COLORED AND UNDERSIZED LITTLE TABLE IN THE CORNER WITH THE TODDLERS?!"

The entire camp went dead silent. Even the birds in the trees and the animals had stopped making any noise. Everyone stared at the group as Ed huffed and fumed. While the rest seemed surprised by this blow up, or in Pinako's case amused and Alphonse's fondly exasperated, Leroy blinked once at him then cracked up laughing so hard she was crying and could barely stand.

Edward stared at the crazy woman who was wheezing. She'd reached the point of laughing silently by now.

"Hoo." Leroy breathed out, holding her hands up in an 'I'm Okay' gesture. She took a few deep breaths. "Oh, that was brilliant. Do it again."

Ed was so shocked he could do nothing but stare at her. At least until it hit him and with a yell he tried to lunge over and grab her. "I'm going to kill you!"

Alphonse reacted fast enough to get his arms around Ed's waist and hold him back despite the flailing of Ed's arms and legs as he tried to get at her. In reality Ed wasn't trying all that hard, it was more show. Al was no where near strong enough now to hold him back if Ed really wanted to get his hands on her.

"Private Leroy..." Al piped up, eyes screwed closed as his face was nearly mashed into Ed's back.

"I should start running shouldn't I?" Leroy asked glibly.

"It would be a good idea."

Seconds later Al released Ed and watched him take off after the laughing maniac then turned and followed Ericsson and the rest toward one of the farthest carts in the camp. Patrick and Karin were lagging slightly to watch the spectacle the two were making of themselves.

"Aren't you going to break them up?" Karin asked, voice concerned.

Alphonse snickered. "Don't worry about it. Brother's just blowing off steam."

"And Francy's just crazy. This is her idea of fun." Mackenzie drawled.

Winry sighed as she took her wrench from the sticky hands of a toddler and put it back in her pocket before the kid could start chewing on it. "Yup... Ed's definitely back." Despite the morose way she said it, there was an obvious smile on her lips.

Klose, who was watching the chase around the perimeter of the camp with a slighted fascinated tilt to her head, asked, "Is he always like that?"

Oh, she well remembered the fit Ed had thrown when she'd insulted him in a similar manner, but still...

"That's Edward for you." Winry said, voice somewhere between nostalgic reminiscing and amusement. "He's always been a little crazy."

It was good to see him like that, though, for whatever reason. It had been quite some time since she'd seen Edward relax enough to act like he had so long ago. Maybe she didn't see him as often as some people, but even she could tell when things were tearing him down. He was obviously worrying, but... She suspected that this little outburst had been a way to let off excess energy and try to divert his mind. It seemed to have worked too, and for that she was grateful.

After about three laps around the camp Leroy came darting back over to them and ducked behind Ericsson and Mackenzie, "Save me Big Sarge!"

"You brought it on yourself." Ericsson said cheerfully. "What have we said about trouble we bring on ourselves?"

"Keep it to yourself while the rest of us hid in a hole and cover out heads." Mackenzie said drolly.

"Little Sarge!" Leroy yelped, sounding hurt.

"Pfft." Ed growled as he skidded to a stop beside Alphonse. "You're not worth the effort."

Leroy stuck her tongue out at him.

"All childishness aside," Ericsson interrupted. "It's time to get serious."

"And just who are you supposed to be?" Ed grumbled, but obligingly moved over to join Ericsson who had retrieved a rolled up map and had set on the open back of the weathered old card. With a few skillful movements the man unrolled it and used a couple of rocks to hold down the corners.

Ericsson grinned cheekily at the younger blond, "I'm the unsung hero, of course."

Leroy sniggered as she moved around to lean on the side of the cart, propping her chin on her hands. "Okay, Big Sarge. We bite. Now that we've had our daily exercise and all... What's the big boring adult discussion about today?"

"Careful Francy. He might make you go sit with the kids too." Mackenzie taunted from across the cart.

"Again?" Leroy responded putting on a very convincing whine.

"I think maybe you should all go sit with the kids, then we might get somewhere." Ed growled.

To his surprise they actually looked a bit sheepish even though, in reality, he'd been one of the more childish among them. He couldn't help but wonder if it was because of his rank. Maria Ross and Denny Brosh had certainly been uptight about his rank when he was younger, and he supposed that hadn't changed with time. Oh well, they'd get used to his rather unprofessional view on the military eventually. And hey, if it worked in his favor until they figured it out Edward wasn't going to complain.

"Anyway..." Ericsson said, clearing his throat. He glanced over toward Patrick and Karin and asked, "Which towns do you know have been hit?"

Patrick leaned over and pointed to several spots along the rail line that eventually lead to Resembool. "We're only aware of those from Ivan. He's from one of the other towns and ended up in ours after he got away. He didn't have any idea how many people got away, or what happened to those who didn't."

Ericsson meticulously marked off the indicated towns with a red ink pen he'd pulled from his pocket.

Turning toward Edward and Alphonse who were both looking at the map of Amestris with differing looks; Edward's angry, and Alphonse's sad, he asked, "What about you two?"

Ed shook his head. "We've been out of the loop for over a year and just got back. We arrived to find the place partially in ruins, and a group of armed men occupying the town. There was a slight altercation with them, but we got away in the end."

Alphonse spoke up next, eyes still glued on the map. "We were planning to head to Central from there and find out what's going on, but... This is more important."

"Right." Ericsson said. "Well this is what we know. A few months ago we stopped getting regular supplies and news from Eastern and Central and the heavy fighting with Areugo more or less stopped all together. We'd been sitting out there on the border scratching our behinds and staring over at the other side when the orders came. More and more of us were getting the call to pack up and head home, but we weren't told why."

"Then we get to Resembool." Donahue murmured, deep voice barely more than a rumble. "We decided to stay the night and leave in the morning."

"We were all damned tired." Leroy cut in with a voice that had lost it's cheery quality. "War takes it out of you I guess."

"That night," Mackenzie picked up the thread. "A bunch of bastards in black swarmed into town and started breaking down peoples doors and tossing people out on the streets with their belongings. We did what we had to: Grabbed out guns and fought back. I think we surprised them at first, they didn't seem to be expecting anyone to fight back. And as we told you, we managed to hold them off with the help of some of the townsfolk."

Pinako smirked just a little nastily. "Oh, they did more than that. Don't let that modesty fool you." She slanted an upward look at them. "They drove them back, across the train tracks and kept them there. We were warned about what was going on and got what we could out. Burned the rest."

Somehow, Ed wasn't surprised that the stubborn women had chosen to set fire to their own home rather than let a bunch of slimy raiders get their hands on their things. Ed probably would have done the same thing. It wasn't an easy choice, but there was nothing easy about this situation.

"We knew there was no hope of the military sending help in time." The old woman went on. "The best thing we can do is get out of there for now and wait until they can respond. Then maybe someday we can go home and rebuild."

"Oh, they will respond." Ed growled. "Even if I have to go see the Fuhrer and yell myself hoarse at him."

Though, knowing Ed's luck doing hat would mean he'd volunteered for the job.... Well, maybe he'd just get Mustang to bitch at the Fuhrer for him. Though he suspected the man wouldn't so much bitch as do some fancy schmancy political maneuvering bullshit that would leave even Ed's head spinning.

"What I don't get..." Al muttered quietly. "Is what happened with the train."

Confused looks were exchanged before Ericsson asked, "The train?"

A memory of the derailed train and the ruined platform flashed in Ed's mind and he said, "Yeah, there was a derailed train in Resembool. It ran straight into the platform... Most of it was splinters and rubble."

Mackenzie shrugged, "It was all fine when we were there."

"I bet those bastards had something to do with it." Ed muttered darkly.

"Do we know anything else about whats been going on in Amestris over the last year that might have lead to this?" Al asked, interrupting the tense contemplation of that thought.

"Other than the massive failure of alchemy all across the map?" Ericsson asked. "No. But that could be enough as it is."

"Things people don't understand make them scared." Ed murmured tightly. "And people don't like being scared. When they are they lash out because they can't react any other way."

Eckhart had said as much at the end of that incident. She'd been scared of what they were capable of and had wanted to destroy them. Maybe she'd succeeded in ways she could never imagine.

Not wanting to think along those lines he voiced the most important query of the moment, "Do you guys have any idea of where to head from here?"

"We'd been discussing that very thing before we heard some yelling and the weirdest sounds..." Leroy mused with a finger tapping her chin with her pointer finger.

"Dublith." Ericsson said flatly. The man tapped that point on the map. "It's almost directly due west of Resembool. It won't be an easy march, but... It's our best bet. Back south and east just takes use to the front lines, or the desert. We _could_ try for Eastern, but that'd be a longer more difficult hike unless we were to chance some towns between there and here. Dublith is closer, and probably hasn't been hit yet."

"Not to mention," Winry's voice sing-songed suddenly from directly behind the two brothers. "It's close to _Rush Valley!_"

Heads turned to stare at the blond mechanic. Winry had her hands clasped together by her cheek and was twisting back and forth. She had those metaphorical stars in her eyes again.

Ed elbowed Al's side and leaned in to mutter, "You'd better start saving now. You're going to be poor for the rest of your life."

"Eh heh heh...."

"Did you say something, Ed?" Winry spat suddenly.

With a yip of surprise Edward back peddled as the irate mechanic suddenly appeared inches from his face. "No, no, nothing at all. Just that I wasn't surprised. I mean you and Pinako _are_ automail mechanics after all..."

Out of the corner of his eye Ed could see Leroy mouthing _Nice save!_ at him.

"Dublith!" Ed yelped. "Yes, Dublith would be a good place to go. Hahaha..."

He really, really hoped that Winry would stop drilling holes in the back of his head with the power of her gaze alone. It was starting to get unsettling, not to mention making him sweat.

"Even with Teacher... dead... there's still Sig." Alphonse pointed out. "Teacher may be gone, but I think you'd still have to be pretty insane to attack Dublith."

Dublith had hosted so many people that you just didn't want to mess with over the years.

"True enough." Ed agreed. "So, to Dublith it is!"

"And then on to Rush Valley for some of us." Winry squeaked. "Granny was saying she has some old friends there that she can contact to give us a hand. We'll be back in business in no time!"

As Winry practically _skipped_ off Ed and Al stared after her.

"I don't know what's scarier." Ed whined. "Winry when she's angry, or Winry when she's happy."

"I'd say they're both equal, Brother." Alphonse pointed out wisely.

"And yet you still want to date her or something."

Al flushed twenty shades of red, then retorted, "Insanity must run in the family, right Brother?"

He had him there. Instead of answering Ed turned to watch Ericsson roll up the map with a speculative gaze. It was going to be quite the effort. The terrain between Dublith and Resembool wasn't exactly the most tamed part of the world. There was probably going to be a lot of complaining and headbutting before this was over and Ed suspected he'd just found himself in the dubious position of the leader. Though it seemed not everyone was quite _aware_ of that yet.

Crossing his arms he set one hand against his chin, thumb hooked along the side of his jaw, while the other hand grasped his elbow.

"This is going to take some doing, but... I think we can do it. No, we _have_ to do it."

When Ed looked up and shook back his bangs that old glint of pure Elric determination was in his eyes. Alphonse smiled fondly from where he stood beside and a bit behind his brother, just out of Ed's line of sight. Edward always seemed to need a goal, a _cause_. He always had to consumed by something. Maybe one day Edward would find himself without that burning need and restlessness, but today wasn't that day.

By the slow brightening of expressions on the four military personnel Al could tell that, despite their apparent confidence, they'd had their doubts. Ed was somehow washing them away just by being there and with the use of a few words. That was Edward for you; he somehow always seemed to inspire people.

"Right you are, Sir." Ericsson agreed breezily.

Ed was about to try and get them to stop with the 'sir' nonsense when a sudden shout from the other end of the camp derailed that.

"_What did you just say about Edward?!_"

"Oh no..." Alphonse moaned while Edward slapped the palm of his hand to his forehead, only to wince when he hit his bruise. "That sounded like Winry."

"I'd know that shriek anywhere." Ed sighed. "Come on, let's go see what's got her acting like a harpy."

"Brother!" Al scolded. "I'm going to tell her you said that."

Ed went stiff all over. "Al!" He yelped. "Please don't tell her. Please?!"

With a sniff Al began to walk off across the camp toward where the commotion was coming from. Slyly he called back, "I won't." Just as Ed's hopes began to rise Al sent them crashing back down. "Not right now. But we can discuss the price later."

Edward was left gaping after his brother, mouth hanging open and with a stunned expression on his face like some had just beat him with a dead fish. "I can't believe my little brother is blackmailing me!" he howled despondently.

"You can figure it out another time, Sir." Leroy piped up as she wrapped her arm around his and began tugging him after Al. "But right now we have to go see what Miss Rockbell is trying to kill this time."

"What do you need me for?" Ed asked nervously, digging his heels in. "I'm sure Al can handle it."

"People need to start seeing you as a leader." Donahue said quietly from behind him.

"I don't really think that's a good idea..." Ed squeaked. Looking back his eyes flickered between Pinako, Mason, Patrick, Karin, and the three military men. "Why don't one of you lead. Ericsson would be good. Or maybe..."

"Oh, stop being a baby." Pinako shot. The old woman stashed her pipe in the pocket of her apron. "Where's the Edward Elric I knew who refused to let a little thing like missing limbs and automail surgery stop him?"

"These people aren't going to listen to me." He pointed out as logically as he could. "They're just going to see some kid who..."

"You've never let age stop you before." Pinako said sharply.

Ed's mouth snapped shut so hard his teeth clacked together. She had him there. He didn't really know why he was making excuses right now, but... No. He was being stupid and nervous over nothing. Edward clenched his jaws until the muscles stood out.

If Mustang could do this, then he could too!

Straightening up he shrugged off Leroy's grip and walked a few steps forward so he preceded the group. As a result he never saw the smiles and satisfied looks they traded.

"Winry, please calm down." Alphonse said standing between her and the red faced old man she'd been intent on attacking.

"Have some _respect_ for your elders, young lady." The man growled. He was _not_ helping in the least. "I never said anything about young Mr. Elric."

"You most certainly did!" Winry yelled. She'd given up attempting to step around Alphonse and was just leaning over his shoulder, weight on one leg and the other bent at the knee. The only reason she wasn't falling over was because she'd braced one hand on Al's other shoulder, her other was busy gesticulating furiously at the man. "You just sat there and said he ran off on his duty and... and.. and you called him a _coward!_"

Poor Alphonse looked like he was going to faint on the spot.

"I was talking about that Fullmetal Alchemist chap." The old man hissed. He looked like he was going to suffering from acute apoplexy.

"Ooooh, don't you get it..--"

"I _am_ the Fullmetal Alchemist." Edward's voice broke through the argument with a low silky quality. He prowled up behind Winry and stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he glared the man down. "I realize you didn't understand that little fact before now, so let's take this moment to cure you of your ignorance."

Looking over to Winry he slanted her a small smile, "Thanks Winry, but I don't really care what he thinks. Just leave it alone. So long as he doesn't cause problems for the rest of us it's ignorable."

Turning away from the old man he realized with a shock he didn't show that the entire camp was watching him. No, not him. They were just watching the spectacle Winry was making, really! Why did he feel like he was trying to convince himself of this?

He started talking before he lost the nerve to. He could do this. He was Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. This was just like helping people on missions, only now he was being looked to by all these people to lead them to a sanctuary that could prove false for all he knew, and to keep them safe while doing so.

_Shit._ What had he gotten himself into now?

"Tomorrow morning we're going to start making our way to Dublith. It's going to be a long way, and it's not going to be easy. I suggest you all take today to make sure you're ready to go. Anyone who doesn't want to leave is welcome to stay here. Similarly anyone who thinks they know better," He slanted a narrow golden glance, intent as a lion's glare, at the old man. "is welcome to take their own path. You're with us by you're own choice."

"That's no choice at all!" The old man barked. "You might be this so-called great and infamous alchemist but you're barely a man. I don't see what you could know that other more experienced...--"

Edward gave a bitter laugh and didn't even bother turning to acknowledge the man. "I know more than you could ever hope to."

Leaving him to sputter Ed simply walked away. Now it would remain to be seen if they were right to place their _faith_ in him. Edward had never put much stock in faith. It just wasn't a theory he subscribed to, but for once he found himself hoping it would hold its own.

One thing was for sure, though: He was going to be facing a trial he couldn't even remember learning the material for.

Ed spent the rest of the day taking a crash course, as it were, with the help of Ericsson, Mackenzie, Leroy, and even the quiet Donahue. They had to plan out how to move such a large group of people across terrain that was likely to be hostile, after all. It was also a good time to find out about possible trouble spots. He found immense help in that thanks to Karin, Patrick, Mason, Pinako, Winry, and even Alphonse and Klose.

That night as stars spangled the deep blue-black of the sky in a beautiful array Edward found himself seeking solace at the edge of the cliff near the camp. Here, where it got higher, he could actually see over the treetops on the lower ground. Before him was a spread of dark green forest that was highlighted silver in waves as the breeze toyed with the uppermost branches. Far off the forest stopped and flattened into grassland again.

Somewhere below an owl called morosely.

It was probably a good thing he wasn't afraid of heights. One foot dangled over the verge, while the others heel rested on the edge his bent knee supporting his leg. His other hand, resting on his thigh, slowly curled into a fist.

He had never expected things to turn out this way, but wasn't it just the story of his life? Somehow no matter what he tried to do he seemed to end up making a mess of it. The best intentions... What was that quote he'd heard on the other side of the Gate?

_The road to Hell is paved with good intentions._

Ed almost laughed at the irony of it. If only they knew! He'd never meant to condemn Amestris to this fate... He'd only wanted to _spare_ his homeland. Instead, it seemed, he had condemned it. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever manage to atone for his sins at this rate. Here he thought he'd finally set things to rights and now... He'd been proven wrong. Edward sighed and closed his eyes, allowing his head to drop forward until his chin hit his chest. He tried to reclaim the determination of earlier. It was hard to, but at the same time...

He knew he wouldn't give up. He might not have said it to anyone but in his heart he'd already made the promise.

"I'll fix this." He whispered to himself. "I _will_ fix this."

What he had to do, he didn't know how he'd do it... but he would. There was no doubt in him about that. He'd done the impossible before it was just time to do it again. That alone was an uplifting thought that brought a smile to his face. Ed tilted his head back up and basked in the starlight and the faint breeze.

"You're thinking too hard again, aren't you Brother?" Al's voice murmured quietly.

Ed opened his eyes slowly to find himself looking up at his younger brother who was standing beside him. Al's profile was a contrast of dark and light against the sky. A heart beat later Al turned to look down at him and smiled on of those smiles with the closed eyes that made him look so happy even when the smile he wore was tinged with bittersweet memories. It was a smile that always made Edward smile back with a smile just as tainted.

Dropping his bent leg Ed leaned back and braced his palms behind him. "Not anymore. I think I've got it figured out for now."

"Meaning..." came Winry's voice as she walked over to join them, standing on the other side of Ed. "That you've decided whatever is going on you have to fix."

"Am I that transparent?" He asked.

"Only to some people, Ed." Winry laughed.

"Like us." Alphonse agreed.

The two of them sat down and a moment later he found himself with a blond head resting on each shoulder.

"But that's because we love you and make it our business to know." Winry said quietly. "And really... Where would you be without us?"

"With more brain cells from less head trauma, and probably living a really dull, sad life." Edward drawled.

Winry elbowed him in the side just as Al smacked him upside the head. Ed couldn't help but laugh, and he wasn't the only one.

"I'm sure the Colonel would be proud." Al said at last.

"What?" Ed looked over though he could only see the top of Alphonse's head. That sentence didn't seem to belong _anywhere, _let alone in this conversation.

When Al spoke again it was with a too innocent tone, "You mean you _weren't_ imitating Colonel Mustang earlier?"

Ed froze for a second, thinking back. Okay so maybe Mustang had been who he'd thought about when he'd gone to face down that old man. But Mustang was a good leader.... Not that Ed was ever going to admit to anyone that he even _thought_ that. Ever. That was a dying secret, damn it.

"Don't make me push you off this cliff." Ed growled instead.

Of course, that only _confirmed_ what Al had said...

* * *


	14. ACT II, SECTION VIII

**A/N: **First of all, some major apologies for the wait. I've had a massive muse crash as far as this story goes. My friend has promised to try and get my FMA muse working again once she's done working (another two weeks). But no, I will NOT abandon this story, so don't worry about that happening. It just might take some time for updating.

I don't really think I like this chapter after rereading it, but eh...

Anyway, thanks for reading~

* * *

**ACT II: The Last Alchemist**

**Section VIII**

**words: 3555**

* * *

The sound of a cockerel crowing nearby brought Edward abruptly back to the waking world, though he didn't open his eyes. Ed did _not_ want to get up this morning. He couldn't recall the last time he'd been able to sleep this deeply and comfortably. Over the last year he'd always slept with one metaphorical eye open, so had Al, really. They'd had very little guarantee that nothing would happen in their sleep.

But, there was more to it than that.

"If someone doesn't shut that bird up I'm going to have it for lunch..." A feminine voice mumbled from the vicinity of his hip.

Alphonse snickered near his ear and Ed felt his lips curling into a slow smile as well as he replied in a voice still thick with sleep, "I think that means we need to get up."

Winry gave a little whine and thumped him on the ribs. "Don't wanna. M'comfortable."

The three of them had decided to stick together, and had chosen to sleep in Winry's little lean to. None of them wanted to be separated just yet, and both Winry and Alphonse had seemed to sense that Ed needed to be soothed and reassured. He wasn't the only one, really. Winry had needed the same and, perhaps, even Al had.

The end result had been Winry unzipping her sleeping bag and laying it flat across the ground where they'd curled up together in a way they hadn't since they were little.

Right now, drifting peacefully into the waking world, with the early morning sunlight tinting the world in pastel tones Winry lay with her head pillowed on Ed's stomach, one hand rested on his rib cage while the other was stretched over him, her fingers twined with Al's. Alphonse, laying on Ed's other side, had his head resting on Ed's shoulder.

This was family, and people could think what they wanted. They had all needed this.

The rooster crowed again. Ed could swear the damn thing was _right_ next to his head with how loud it was. He opened his eyes to see the canvas roof above him colored with light and leaf shadow in a shifting pattern. Groaning at the thought of forcing himself to get up Ed lifted his head and gazed through bleary eyes toward his feet, and beyond to the outside world. His head thumped back down.

In reality he couldn't feel his flesh arm, and he was experiencing that odd sensation of having part of his torso and hip numb from having Al and Winry sleeping on him all night.

"We need to get up," he sighed. "There are things to do."

Winry wrinkled her nose, grumbled slightly, then said, "You both stink and I don't mean that in an 'I dislike you for waking me up' way either."

"Thank you for those kind words, Winry," Edward drawled.

Alphonse by this point was laughing helplessly into Edward's shoulder while Ed, himself, grinned wryly.

"You're welcome!" came the overly perky reply.

"Oh don't use that voice this early. It's against the law," Ed moaned, pretending agony.

"You're going to _hate_ Francy then," Winry said. And, damn her, it sounded like she was amused by the fact.

"If you're all feeling this chatty already then you can come get some breakfast."

All three of them jumped as Leroy's voice spoke from just beyond their little hide away, almost as if the mention of her had summoned her. Winry was right, though, her voice was as cheerful as ever.

"And just what _is_ for breakfast?" Ed couldn't help but ask.

"Wizard bacon!" Leroy burbled cheerfully. "So get up, o' glorious leader. Time's wasting!"

Ed wasn't really sure whether or not he should believe her at this point, but he decided to brace himself and err on the side of caution.

"Yeah, yeah, we're getting up."

As they crawled from beneath the canvas, stretching, yawning, and trying to smooth the wrinkles form their cloths they found themselves in a camp that resembled an ant hill, or maybe a beehive; everyone was on the move and performing some task. Ed stood for a moment, working feeling back into the numb parts of his body. Together the three went in search of their breakfast and found themselves dining with the four military personnel, Karin, Patrick, Pinako, and Klose.

The meal was a quick and quiet affair where they focused more on eating than anything else, though a few greetings were exchanged. As soon as a persons food was gone they got up and went back to getting the camp packed up.

Once Winry, Al, and Ed were done the two brothers joined Winry as she made her way back to her lean to. She crawled in and rolled up her sleeping bag while the brother's untied the canvas and rolled it up.

After stowing the the things in one of the carts Al suggested, "Yesterday when I went to clean the blood off my face I was directed to this little stream. We should probably try and clean up a bit."

"Please," Winry agreed wholeheatedly. She was giving them both amused looks.

"Yeah, we'd better or Winry won't stop complaining," Ed said mournfully. "Ow! Winry!"

Looking perfectly innocent she began to head toward the edge of camp. "Yes, Ed?"

"That's abuse!"

The two brother's jogged after her, and Al took the lead after a few moments, mostly so Edward wouldn't see the smirk on his face. It took everything he had not to laugh.

"It's perfectly justifiable abuse. Everyone would agree with me."

Alphonse lead them to a part of the cliff where it began sloping downward and, as a result wasn't nearly as tall as the rest. In actuality it was short enough that it could be easily jumped off of, and had a rather climbable spot on it. The most important feature at the moment, however, was that a stream ran over the edge here. It wasn't much more than a trickle, but it was good enough.

Winry waited topside while Ed and Al clambered down. Ed used the undersized water fall as a sort of natural shower first. They didn't really have soap or anything, but it worked out well enough.

Once he was clean Ed set about trying to get their cloths as clean as possible while Alphonse washed up. Once Al was done Ed tossed him his soaked boxers to pull on, which he did after nearly catching them with his face. He looked to be contemplating retaliation but instead sighed. Ed stuck his tongue out at him.

Turning away from his childish elder sibling Al cupped his hands around his mouth and called up, "It's okay now, Winry."

Winry's blond head popped over the top of the cliff a second later and, shortly thereafter, the automail mechanic began to descend the climb to join the brothers. Al was now sprawled out on a large flat rock near where Ed had laid their cloths out. Ed himself was sitting beside Alphonse with crossed arms resting on bent knees, one cheek resting against his forearms.

She paused for a moment, observing the two from across the stream with a half smile on her face, and perhaps a slight blush. But, hey, they _did_ look good with their hair down, all wet with a dappling of green tinted morning sunlight and leaf shadow that came through the canopy. Not to mention sitting there in nothing but their undergarments. Biting back a rather girlish giggle, Winry hopped over the stream and moved to join them.

Sitting down, cross legged, near Ed Winry demanded, "Let me have a look at your leg since we have the opportunity."

"Yeah. All right," Ed sighed.

Shifting around he extended his automail leg. Winry caught hold of his metal ankle and placed it down in her lap. Reaching into her pockets she pulled out an array of tools and set them around her, then grabbing hold of the sleeve of her jump suit she briskly dried the automail off.

Ed rolled his eyes and gave an annoyed huff, but she ignored him.

As she leaned over his leg Ed ventured, "Did either of you find out anything about that old man?"

He'd been they're main point of interest for obvious reasons. All of them knew he was most likely going to give them problems.

"His name's Daniel Thorne," Winry commented dryly. It was obvious that she was still immensely angry with the old man. "I don't know why you won't just let me brain him, Ed...."

"Because I have to deal with this on my own. For some reason everyone seems to think I need to be the leader, and for those who disagree I _have_ to prove myself."

Winry heaved a sigh, but nodded in understanding. Taking hold of Ed's automail foot she turned it side to side, eyes intent on the way it turned.

"Some of the people said he's from a well to do family," Alphonse spoke up, voice quietly contemplative. "That his families lived on the same land for generations."

"Old money, eh?" Ed scoffed. "I couldn't tell."

"Oh, be nice." Winry scolded though there was no real weight behind her words.

"He's likely to butt heads with you all the way, Brother. I don't think you'll ever get him on your side on the principle that you showed him up yesterday."

"I know," Edward sighed and flopped back onto the rock. "I can't make everyone happy, and I'm not going to try. I'll be happy just to get them all to Dublith safely."

It was the people who thought themselves privileged, and above everyone else, that always caused the most trouble. That or it was those who were so far at the end of their rope that they had to turn their frustrations on someone else. People always seemed to seek someone to blame, and those in leadership positions were always the easiest targets.

He didn't know how Mustang handled it, honestly, and maybe, just maybe, it gave him a bit of a new respect for that man. Maybe.

"We'll manage. We always have before."

"And," Winry said slyly. "You have me with you this time. You can't fail."

"Yeah, then there's that," Alphonse laughed.

Winry thumped Ed's automail leg then shoved it off her lap. "It's fine, but I think it could do with being replaced. Your arm, too. I hope we can get to Rush Valley without anything to bad happening, otherwise you might be in trouble Edward."

Ed pushed himself into a sitting position and looked at his leg grimly. "I'll be careful. I made it an entire year without breaking them after all..."

The mechanic looked between the two brothers and sighed, "You're keeping things from me again but... I understand. When you're ready you'll talk to me right...?"

"Of course, Winry." Alphonse said automatically, but with thorough sincerity.

Edward, however, didn't answer and, instead, looked away. He didn't want to make a promise he wasn't sure he could keep.

"Brother..."

Lifting his eyes again, Ed found Winry's own were downcast and hidden behind the long fall of her bangs. Her shoulders and arms were trembling in a way that made it obvious she was fighting back tears. Why did he always seem to upset her, to make her cry, no matter how much he didn't want to?

Rolling to his knees Ed shoved himself to his feet and moved over to their clothing, two claps and they were dry. Another and he'd gotten the water off of himself. Pulling his cloths back on he turned away from the two, "I'd better get back and make sure the preparations are going well."

All three of them knew that was bull, just as they all knew that everything was being handled just fine.

Once Ed was out of sight and, probably, hearing, Al looked back to Winry before turning away from her again. "I'm sorry Winry. Please, try not to be too upset with Brother."

Looking down at her hands clenched in her lap Winry sniffed slightly, "Its just... Why won't he let me in? I just want to know he's okay."

Al smiled sadly, though she couldn't, and didn't, see it. Things really didn't seem to have changed, no matter how much it made his heart ache and no matter how much he wished he could just get her to see _him_ for a moment... Well, he supposed she did see him, but all she saw was Alphonse, Ed's little brother, one of her best friends.

It didn't change the fact that he'd do his best to be there for her.

"I know," he whispered. "I think... Brother thinks he's protecting us. He's seen so much..."

"He shouldn't have to endure it alone." Winry protested hotly. Her fingernails were digging into her palms.

"And, he won't. We'll be here, beside him, the entire way."

"Yes. I don't understand though, why he doesn't trust me, _us_..."

Heart clenching painfully in his chest Al held back a sigh. Why did Edward always have to do this to Winry? She didn't deserve to be hurt this way... Despite that part of him that wanted to be so _angry_ at Ed for this entire mess, a part of him couldn't help but understand. Ed was so used to protecting them, so _selfless_ about things like this... Alphonse sighed again.

"Brother does trust you," he said gently, he knew that was what she really meant, what she really wanted to know. "He just doesn't want you to get hurt, and maybe... Maybe he's also afraid."

Winry laughed wetly. There was an ironic tinge to it that made Al flinch. He could tell what she was thinking: Wasn't Ed hurting her right now?

Alphonse pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin against them. "He doesn't tell me everything either, and I know it hurts, but I believe Brother does it for the right reasons most of the time. You were the one who told me he was scared I would hate him, remember?" He glanced over and waited until Winry nodded. "Sometimes I think that there are more things Brother has seen, or done, or knows that make him afraid like that. Maybe not for the same reason, but a similar feeling."

He was scared, too, but for another reason all together.

"He's going off on another quest isn't he?" Winry's voice was barely more than a whisper. Al almost didn't hear it at all. "Last night... That's what..." She'd said it, that Ed had decided to fix whatever was going on, but it hadn't occurred to her that it would be something like _that_ again.

Just like he'd made the decision to fix Al at any cost.

"And..." Al said just as softly. "I'm afraid that this time I might not be able to go with him."

Because Edward was keeping it to himself this time. There was no _we_ in this. No, this time Edward was protecting him by keeping him as out of it as possible. They'd started this together, both so many years ago with that fateful transmutation and that night only days ago on Glastonbury Tor; or maybe it was when they'd both opened the Gate and let Eckhart's people have access to Amestris. Whatever the case was, Ed seemed intent on finishing it himself, and that scared Alphonse more than he could ever say.

"That idiot!" Tears fell onto Winry's hands.

Alphonse said nothing.

* * *

Edward strolled back into the camp with a sigh on his lips while he busily tugged his hair back up into that high ponytail. He'd probably made her cry again, but he didn't want to tell either of them about this. Really, what would that do for any of them other than make them all feel worse? He knew they wanted to help him as best they could; he could understand that they wanted to help him with whatever burden he was shouldering now, but...

He didn't want to do that to them.

From the beginning he'd been putting them both through too much, and if he could spare either of them even a little bit then he'd do what he could.

"We're all ready to go, Sir." Mackenzie's laconic voice said.

Ed started; he hadn't realized he'd been standing there staring at the ground like some sort of idiot. "Yeah, all right. We just have to wait for Al and Winry to get back then."

Mackenzie saluted him lazily, then sauntered off in the direction of Ericsson. Ed, meanwhile, turned his attention to finding Donahue. He'd learned last night that Donahue was the best of them when it came to reading maps and their location relative to reality. He was also, apparently, a skilled cartographer.

After asking a few people he was eventually directed out of the clearing to the old roadway; there he found Donahue. The man was leaning against a tree at the edge of the road with the Amestris map from the day before open in his hands.

"We should be able to make it all the way to Dublith if we follow the old roads, Major," Donahue said without ever looking up.

"I had hoped we could," Edward murmured.

Ed moved out into the middle of the road and turned to face the west. The forest went on for a few miles cutting off any view he'd really hoped to have the land they were about to traverse. He could still see a few small mountains looming against the horizon like dark smudges against a dim sky.

"We can only hope that the roads have remained mostly undamaged, but that may be hoping for too much."

He'd figured as much. Sighing Ed reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, we'll just deal with those things if, and when, they happen."

"Good idea, Sir," Donahue agreed as he rolled the map back up and stashed it away.

"Major Elric?"

Ed looked up to find Ericsson, Mackenzie, and Leroy had joined them. Donahue moved over the join the other three as Ericsson saluted him. All four had their guns hanging from straps around their shoulders so the weapons rested at their hips.

Heaving an internal sigh Ed resigned himself to dealing with the issue of their insistence on saluting and calling him Major Elric at a later date, "Yes, Sergeant Ericsson?"

"We're ready to move out, Sir."

"Let's go then."

Ed proceeded them back to the camp to find everything was indeed ready. He caught a glimpse of Winry and Alphonse; his brother met his gaze and said something to Winry before jogging over to join him. Edward, Alphonse, and Donahue headed to the front of the group of refugees while Ericsson, Mackenzie, and Leroy headed for the end of the column.

As they were passing one cluster of people Mason hailed him. Stopping, Ed went over to the old Blacksmith while Donahue and Alphonse waited for him.

The bald blacksmith smiled at him and held out the spear he'd lost track of. "You forgot this."

Giving a faint crooked smile Ed took the spear and slung it over his shoulders, "Thank you."

Then he rejoined his brother and the Private, and the three of them finished their journey to the front of the mixed group of refugees. Ed paused to look back over them: The youngest children and the oldest or the most infirm were riding in the carts. At the very back of the group Den (and a few other dogs) was helping shepherds with the livestock. A small sea of hopeful, if somewhat grimy, faces stared back at him.

Mouth set in a line of determination Edward nodded, "Let's go."

Beside him Donahue took a deep breath and bellowed in a, surprisingly, loud tone for a man with such a quiet personality and solemn tone, "_Move out!_"

Ed turned and began to lead the way out onto the old roadway with Donahue and Alphonse flanking him. Behind him he could hear the clatter of wheels as the first cart lurched into motion alongside the shuffle of feet.

* * *

Several hours later a group of men in dark, ragged fatigues entered the clearing that the refugees had vacated that morning. One man kicked aside a forgotten tin pot that rested in the dirt, gleaming faintly in the sun.

Will, the leader of the group of vagabonds, tapped his fingers against the familiar weight of his gun, "Well, well, well... They don't seem to have gotten to far yet have they?"

"Should we take'em out tonight, boss?"

Will snorted, "We'll give it a wait, but before long we'll heckle 'em. Don't forget to leave a few alive, boys... That way they can lead us to our next target!"

* * *


	15. ACT II, SECTION IX

**A/N: **Been having a rough week computer wise. I got a virus and had to wipe my laptop clean a few days ago, but luckily I had everything fic wise backed up on a flashdrive and didn't loose any of my fanfic stuff.

As far as TSR's status goes, I've only got two more chapters before I run out of finished ones. Once that happen I'm going to try and work in back into my fic-work schedule somewhere. Hopefully my muse will start working.

**

* * *

**

ACT II: The Last Alchemist

**Section IX**

**words: 3563**

* * *

Edward didn't know what it was that a leader in this situation was expected to do. After all, he'd never been in this situation before with exception of that time in Lior near the end of the entire ordeal with the Philosopher's stone. But, even then, he hadn't really been in charge of anything. In the end he did what he had always done best: He winged it. He made himself accessible after awhile, and handed his spear off to Alphonse knowing his brother could wield it just as well as he, then slowed his pace to walk with Patrick and Karin.

"I still don't see why you seem to think I'm the best person for this job," he muttered. Ed tried not to sound sullen, he really did, but he couldn't help it. He just couldn't understand _why_ they'd voted him into this position.

"Because while someone else could easily do the job, you're the best choice," Karin said calmly. "You're an icon. People look at you and remember what you did in all those rumors we've heard about; remeber how you helped the common man. You give them hope that this will turn out fine because _you're_ here."

That didn't really make him feel better... In fact it made him feel faintly queasy. He'd just been a kid who flew through rash plans without any real forethought! The only reason he'd pulled off half the crap he had was dumb luck.

Apparently some of what he was thinking must have shown on his face because Patrick laughed, "Don't worry so much about it. Just act normal. You'll do fine."

"You sound like you're giving me dating advice," Ed growled, slouching his shoulders and dropping his head.

"In a way he is," Private Donahue's deep voice spoke up from ahead of him though the man never turned. "Only you're not courting just one fickle dame, but an entire group of fickle people. You have to win them over hearts, souls, and mind."

"Thank you so much," he hoped he'd over done the sarcasm because it really was needed. Maybe if he started gurgling and acting nuts they'd tie him up, toss him in a cart, and leave him be.

"Stop pouting, Brother. You're just upset that you had this handed to you instead of having to challenge someone's authority and get it the hard way."

Edward couldn't really argue with that.

* * *

Those first couple of days were easy. The temperature never got too out of hand with the trees clustering close enough alongside the partially overgrown roadway to give them just enough shade. People's spirits were still high with the fact that they had a direction to go, and the fact that food and water were still fairly plentiful. While the second day hadn't gone as well as the first, it was still easy enough. There were mild rumblings of displeasure with the pace, but they were fairly quiet. It was as things neared noon on the third day of travel that the first stirrings of trouble began.

Edward was walking with Klose near the middle of the column, a five year old getting a piggy back ride from him to her happiness, when a voice spoke up beside him.

"Excuse me?"

Ed broke off his conversation with Klose to give his attention to the woman who was addressing him. She was a rather haggard looking woman with a baby in a sling across her back. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Are we going to stop and rest soon?"

"Not for awhile yet," Edward answered as calmly as possible.

So far he'd had about five different people approach and ask him the same question over the course of the morning's walk. The first two days people had treated things without much thought. They'd been happy enough with the routine they'd started implementing: leave after breakfast, walk until noon then rest for lunch, move on again until about mid afternoon then stop for a short rest and keep going until light was nearly gone from the sky. Of course they would have already sent someone ahead to scout out a viable camp, and would be able to get things set up fairly quickly. This was followed by another meal after which most people were asleep fast.

Not a lot of them were used to such hard traveling but Edward, with the agreement of what had become referred to with a tongue in cheek sort of way as the Council, didn't think it was a good idea to linger too long near the sights of the latest attacks for fear of discovery. While it was true Edward could probably defend them on his own if it came to it, the only ones who knew that were Winry and Alphonse.

He didn't want to reveal his ace if he could help it.

"Why can't we rest now?" The woman demanded. "It would be better for everyone."

Edward bit back a sigh, and bravely refrained from telling her she meant it would be better for _her_. "We'll rest the same time we do every day, Ma'am."

"We've only be traveling for two days," she pointed out as if that meant something.

His eye ticked. Before he could snap off a rather nasty response as he lost his hold on his temper and tongue, another voice interrupted. "Major!"

For once Ed was _damned_ glad to see Leroy running toward him. "Hey, Francy. What's wrong?"

"Nothing much, Sir. Big Sarge would like a word is all. I need to go fetch Donahue as well. I'll see you there, Sir." Leroy said as she jogged passed him, heading up toward the front of the group.

Ed looked back to the woman who'd been giving him a tight lipped look as she waited to get his attention back. As soon as he saw her open her mouth to start into him again he spoke up, pitching his voice loudly enough so that he could talk over her, "I've got to go take care of this."

Slowing his pace Ed swung the little girl he was carrying around so he was holding her against his chest, then deposited her into the cart. She pouted at him for a moment before giving a large, gap-toothed grin and waving at him.

Edward turned on his heel and walked quickly towards the back of the group. Carts rattled past him, hens clucked, people greeted him, the oxen pulling one of them lowed as he passed. Soon enough he could see the last cart that had a rangy old ram tethered to it with a bell clanging around his neck. The rest of what ramined of the Resembool flocks followed him more or less automatically though several dogs and shepherds kept pace with them to keep them in order.

If Ed hadn't known how important the flocks were to the livelihood of Resembool he'd probably have asked if they could be set loose. As it was the loses were already making the shepherds upset. Stepping to the side he let the bleating flock go passed him and picked up his pace. There at the very end, acting as rear guard, was Ericsson and Mackenzie.

Ed fell into step with the two and groused, "You have really good timing."

"Oh?" Ericsson asked blithely. "What makes you say that?"

"I was being accosted by another person who thought we needed to stop for awhile."

"Hate to say it, Sir, but it doesn't take good timing for that," came Mackenzie's amused reply.

"Shut up, Mackenzie," Edward sniped snidely. "or go bleat with the rest of your kin."

"Ooh..." Ericsson approved. "That was a good one."

"What was a good one?" Leroy's cheerful voice interrupted, face lit with with a smile that said she was curious and to tell her now so she had ammo for later.

"The Major just compared Mackenzie to a sheep without actually saying it."

"Oooh." Leroy gave Ed an approving look. "That was a good one, Sir."

Edward heaved a put upon sigh and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Am I ever going to convince you to call me Ed?"

"Sure thing, Eddy." Leroy chirped.

"Don't. Not _that_. _Never_ that!" Ed growled.

"Okay, Eddy."

Throwing his hands into the air in defeat he gave in, "Fine, have it your way."

"Thank you, Sir." Leroy was _grinning_ at him, damn her.

Giving Ericsson a glare when he saw the man was grinning too Ed inquired blandly, "Do you use her to interrogate your prisoners?"

"Only when they're being particularly reticent, Sir," Ericsson replied. "Otherwise that would be cruel and unusual punishment."

"Got me right here," Leroy said, thumping her chest over her heart. "it did."

"Anyway..." Ericsson interrupted. "I wanted to point out the fact that we're getting low on food rations, unless we start killing the animals."

Ed sighed. He'd noticed the same thing. The meat off the chimera's had proved edible if not good tasting, but they'd nearly worked through all of it even with careful rationing. They'd have to start offing the chickens eventually, but he was hoping to leave that for as long as they could feed them in favor of the eggs the hens produced.

Donahue spoke up, "We'll be out of the forest soon. Two days, maybe three. I'd suggest we camp on the edge for a day or two and spend that time trying to line our stocks."

"Right." Ed nodded his head sharply. "I want you to start studying the map for any viable camping spots, one preferably near a water source. Talk to the trappers if you have to, I'm sure they'd know."

Donahue saluted. "Yes, Sir."

"Leroy, see if you can find anyone who knows about the local plant life, and any good spots for edible vegetation in the area."

"Will do, Sir!"

Edward heaved a sigh as he watched the two trot off. A thump of weight on his shoulder had him lifting his gaze to meet Ericsson's gray gaze.

"You're doing great. It takes a real leader to admit they need help, or don't know something. It takes an even better one to listen to the suggestions of their men."

"You're all more experienced than I am, of course I'm going to listen to what you have to say." If he'd been younger he doubted he'd be able to admit that but, as it was, Edward knew it was true.

Ericsson laughed, "We're more experienced in warfare maybe, but from what we're heard you're certainly better experienced for running around the country."

Ed grinned in a combination of sheepishness and wicked amusement. "That's true."

"Ed! Hey, Edward!"

Looking up Ed noticed one of the shepherds who'd owned land near his childhood home back in Resembool running toward him. He was a square jawed man with short dark hair, and had a son around Ed's age. When he reached them he waved for them to stop.

"What's up?"Edward asked, curious and hoping he wasn't about to get nagged or demanded of again.

"My son's not back yet. We had a few late lambs this year, and he noticed one of the ewes was lagging so he figured the lamb must've been getting tired. He went back to check for it, but he's not come back yet."

Taking a moment to swear several times in his head, Edward gave a sharp nod. "I'll go find him." Turning to Ericsson and Mackenzie he said, "Keep them moving forward. We'll catch up with you soon."

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to come with you, Major?" Mackenzie offered.

"Nah, I can take care of myself. Shoo, shoo," Ed grumbled, and flapped a hand at them in the complimenting gesture.

"All right, but if you're not with us by the time we stop for lunch we're sending Leroy back for you!" Ericsson promised with a serious face, though a smile was trying to crack through.

"Is that a threat?" Ed called, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"You bet it is, Sir!"

Rolling his eyes and snickering Ed turned and began to walk back down the roadway. He doubted they could have gotten too far. Hopefully the lamb had just lain down instead of wandering off, and the kid was just having trouble getting the ewe and her lamb moving.

He proceeded down the road at a quick walk keeping his eyes open for any sign of them. Eventually he found the ewe: She'd been tied to a tree where she stood, fidgeting and bleating, anxiously. A quick glance around proved that no one was there.

Edward brought his hands up and cupped them around his mouth before yelling, "Hey! Anybody there?" Quickly he cast around in his memory for the guy's name. "Timothy?!"

In silence he listened, waiting for any sign of response. After a long moment he finally heard a faint call from the forest to his left, passed the ewe. Sighing heavily Ed strode by the animal and into vegetation. Shoving aside fronds of plants and too low branches he pushed his way in all the while ignoring the sound of his boots crunching on twigs and leaf matter left over and still decaying from time past.

"Where are you?!"

"Over here!" The response was faint, but much closer this time.

Changing his direction slightly Ed picked up his pace. Ducking under low slung limbs, and calling out for a response from time to time to make sure he was going in the right direction, Ed eventually found him.

Timothy was sitting at the bottom of a steep slope into a small ravine that looked like it had once been a stream. Rocks littered the bottom of it, all covered in moss, but with that peculiar smoothness that suggested they'd been submerged in water long ago.

If he listened hard enough he could still hear a faint trickle which suggested that, maybe, the stream still existed, only it was moving through, and beneath, those rocks. Leaning over the verge he peered at Timothy. He looked much like his father, only he preferred to wear a bandanna over his short cropped dark hair, and had a sprinkling of freckles on a face that was more rounded.

"Are you okay?" Ed asked. First concern was if he'd fallen down there and broken something. That's just what they needed...

"Uh... yeah. I'm fine. Just covered in mud. I didn't really fall, just slid down so be careful. The edge is pretty slippery."

Glancing down at the edge in question, the one he was nearly standing on, Ed could see what he meant. It was more mud than anything, and there were obvious signs that Timothy had slide down it recently. Well, that was something good at least.

"All right. Hold on and I'll see if I can find something to get you out of there with."

Turning away from the ravine Ed glanced over the surrounding foliage. Maybe he could find a vine, or a long branch or something... Why was it a person never had a rope on them when they _really_ needed it?

Well... maybe if he...

Glancing back at the ravine once, Ed headed deeper into the undergrowth until he was sure he was well out of sight. He then set about gathering a bunch of foliage, mostly from the undergrowth. Once he was standing over quite the pile Ed clapped, then dropped smoothly into a kneeling position, and pressed his hands into the pile. Light flared up, miniature strokes of lightning arcing out over the pile as it twisted and remolded. The plants twined and melted together into a single mass, forming a vine like rope.

Picking up his self made rope Ed slung the coils over one shoulder and set off, back to the ravine.

Leaning over the edge again he called, "I'm back! Let's get you out of there."

Edward stepped back from the edge and looped the rope around the thick bole of a nearby tree before slinging the rest of it into the ravine, just in case. It wouldn't do for him to get pulled down there, then the _both _of them would have no way to get out.

Timothy caught the rope, and tied it in a loop around his waist before grabbing onto the slack. Ed picked up his end of the rope and began to back up, pulling it with him. Using his legs to climb up and make things easier on Ed, Timothy struggled up the muddy slope. Clumps of slippery earth smeared, or were pushed loose, beneath his boots. Several times he began to slide back down.

Arms straining, Ed was grateful for his automail limbs. While the weight made it half feel like his arm was going to detach from its port it also made it easier in a way. He was, after all,stronger than he probably would have been for one thing, and for another rope burn wasn't an issue. Given he was wearing his gloves as usual, but it was still digging through and into the palm of his flesh hand. As for his automail leg? Well, it certainly made it easier to hold his position.

Taking another step back he continued hauling while Timothy climbed. Eventually he reached the top of the ravine and slung one arm over the edge to grip at the undergrowth growing nearby.

"Hold on!" Ed barked.

Quickly he knotted the rope shorter to hold Timothy where he was before darting down to the edge. Grabbing onto the rope, which was so taught it was nearly humming, Ed held out his other hand. Releasing the rope Timothy grabbed the offered hand and, with one more heave, Ed pulled him onto flat ground and his rear end with an oomph.

Laying on his back where he'd rolled Timothy shot him a grin, "Thanks Ed."

"No problem." Blowing out a breath that caused his bangs to sway Ed glanced around. "Did you find out where that lamb went?"

Timothy sat up and braced one mud covered arm on his equally mud covered legs, "Well I saw hoof prints near here and I was afraid she'd fallen into the ravine. That's how I ended up down there."

Edward sighed and stood up, dusting off his pants as he did. "We might have to lea–"

A twig cracked behind them.

Ed whirled around all of his senses on high alert as he strained to hear something, anything at all. He dearly hoped it wasn't another pack of those chimera, or something _worse_. Images of gigantic bear chimera came to mind.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled with unease. Another slight crack to his right had him twisting to peer through the dense green leaf shadow. A bird twittered and went silent.

Edward's heart was thumping fast and powerful in his chest. Waving one hand he indicated for Timothy to stay put then, inhaling deeply, he began to edge toward where the latest noise had come from. Pushing aside a thick tangle of branches he edged through the gap between two close growing trees. Several feet ahead of him another snap sounded. Muscles tensed to react he waited, squinting into the overgrown foliage.

Seconds later a pathetic bleat sounded, it was shortly followed by a dirty, blunt head pushing through the undergrowth. The lamb startled and stopped at the sight of him, and Edward let the breath he hadn't realized he was holding out in a rush. Crouching down he held his hand out to the lamb.

"Come here little one," he crooned softly, then had to smile. It reminded him of how his brother would coax various animals to him when he'd been trapped in the armor. Alphonse and his cats... Maybe when things finally settled he'd get him one at last...

The lamb wavered on its gangly legs. The poor thing was obviously exhausted. Then, with another pathetic bleat, it tripped over to him. Sighing Ed scooped it up. and cradled it to his chest. The little lamb immediately arched its neck up, and tucked its head against the crook of his neck. It was asleep in seconds.

Pushing his way back through the greenery, Ed found Timothy right where he'd left him though he'd gotten himself loose from the make shift rope. A lopsided grin spread across Timothy's face at the sight of the lamb in Ed's arms.

"It wasn't anything then?"

Ed shook his head slightly, careful not to dislodge the lamb's own, "I can't be sure, but I'd rather we get moving. I don't want to take the risk that it _is_ something after all."

Timothy cast a glance around then nodded and stood up. "Right."

Back at the road Timothy untied the ewe and, together, the two set off along the road to catch up with the refugees.

* * *


End file.
